This is for anybody who is curious about what my news is. I can post news here, and then nobody feels obligated to reply to it, as they might with e-mail. However - please feel free to write!
Hazy summer morning out my back window:
Oct 14, 2003 Jeepers, it's been forever since I did anything with this page.
I had a grand time at Nationals this year. Had ALL the fun, I'm not sure I left any for anybody else. Stayed both weeks, shot well in fits and spurts. Shot a personal best offhand in squadded practice AND again in the President's 100, so I didn't really care when it all fell apart and I missed my zero on the 300 yard line. Shot really well on the 600 in one of the NRA matches, and generally shot well enough that I wasn't embarrassed. Just barely missed my first leg points, too.
Lessee... animals. The pit bitch I fostered last winter got a home in Ohio. The Walker bitch and her puppies all got homes except for one, and he's back down at the shelter. I now have 5 chickens: two barred rock hens (Erma and Ethel), a pair of bantam buff cochins (Neville and Lila) and one black cochin cross (Harriet). A new foster arrived this past weekend, a red brindle pit bitch (Bengal) who is blind in one eye. She showed up at the shelter pregnant, covered in fleas and ticks. The day before I picked her up, a very aggressive dog at the shelter got ahold of her and tore up her face, but that is healing up well. Hope has a job teaching riding lessons, so he's not at home right now. We miss him, but he's happy there, gets lots of attention.
My brother gave me a 1992 Volvo 940 sedan, so I'm quickly becoming spoiled to an automatic and cushy power everything. It also means I am going to let Old Gray go. Sigh.
I STILL haven't finished the floors or the kitchen projects, but hell, I figure I'll have the next 30 years to work on the house as it pleases me. I have planted a bunch more roses along the drive, I hope they'll thrive. As for my vegetable gardening, I planted two peppers, two tomatoes, two squash... in early October I got my first tomatoes. Guess I might've seen some sooner if I'd tied up the plants out of the weeds... one of them is now enormous and planning to take over the world.
Oh, and earlier this summer my pump quit, and after a couple days of flailing around assuming the pump itself had died, managed to use a borrowed voltmeter to TEST things, and lo! The pressure switch was bad. Replaced it myself, and felt pretty tickled with myself for managing it.
This weekend I bought 20 round bales of hay, which were delivered to my front yard, so I got to push them out back and line them up in rows against the fence, to make them easy to cover. Went to the new huge Wal-Mart and, after hiking 4 or 5 miles, managed to find tarps. Unfortunately, they are not self-installing, so although I have the pvc pipes to make hoops to support the tarps, and got the stakes to secure the ends of the pipes, the bales are not yet covered. So of course it is raining today. Oh, well. One more rain won't be the end of them. And oh, it feels SO good to have a bunch of hay put up. Now if I can just get Old Gray sold and buy another 20, I'll be set until next year.
June 3rd, 2002 - 
Closed on a house! Courtesy of my mother's good credit, of course. But my house! Just south of the booming metropolis of Saxapahaw, NC. My 3.63 acres, my 2 bedroom house. My magnolia. My cedar. My decks. My irises. My peonies. My privet. My beech trees.
June 3rd, pm - Got wild, ripped up the carpet, and discovered that the beautiful pine floors are in awful shape. My friend Ghyie was laughing at me, since I refused to roll the carpet up, but just ripped it up from the floor and started dragging it out the door. I got it out, but by the time I did the second room and got that out on the porch, I collapsed on top of it for a bit.
June 4th - reserved a rental sander for June 5th and 6th, and spent the evening on my belly on the floor, prying old staples up that had been used to hold the foam for the carpet. Discovered that carpet edge tack strips are really a royal pain to remove. Only cut myself once.
June 5th - 
The Sacred Truck of My Father has risen! I'm thinking of calling it Lazarus. My boss put points and condenser in it last week to get it to run, then painstakingly replaced the disintegrated shifter, only to discover when it was all over that the truck shifted beautifully, silkily... but the gears were in the wrong locations. So today he rearranged all that, and I took it on its maiden voyage, to the gas station of course.
June 6th -
Well, the floors are looking... different. Rented a drum floor sander, and raised cain. Special thanks to my coworker Craig for the loan of his exceedingly marvy powered respirator. What the man at the rental place didn't say is that changing the belt on the sander is an ordeal, and that one will misinstall and tear up one belt for each successful installation. Oh, well. These things happen, and I only shed a little blood. Tore up another 20 feet of carpet edge tack strip without incident. Oh, and prior to sanding, I spent an hour or so scooting around the floor removing more staples - a few I'd missed in the living room, and the ones in the bedroom. The fun never stops!
It seems I need to make one clarification - I was using snips and screwdriver to get the staples up, not just scooting around to get them.
It's old news now, I suppose, but I had a Very Good Day at the range(s) on Sunday. Saturday I spent at Butner coaching a Garand clinic. Sweltered. Sunday morning went back up there to shoot the Garand match, and as soon as I was done shooting (the last relay was still on the line), we bolted for DPRC to shoot the State 200-Yard Championships. Halfway through the DPRC match, Nick and Darryl showed up on their way home from Butner, and brought me my trophy. I proceeded to win another one that afternoon by winning my class. All that heat, sun, and shooting made me bleary-eyed, but I was mighty happy with it!
Updated: 11:00 am EDT on June 6, 2002
This Afternoon
Partly cloudy. A chance of showers and thunderstorms late. Hot... with highs 95 to 100. Southwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30 percent.
June 7 - When I got home last night, the truck (the shop truck, borrowed because my boss doesn't have the faith in Lazarus that I do, and he was fretful) popped a coolant leak. Thankfully it got home first. I know it was okay when I stopped at the light a mile up the road. No disaster, just a pain, had it towed in this morning. Turned out just to be a tucked-under hard-to-get-at heater hose. Now it's fixed. However, I think I'll take Lazarus out tonight to pick up the sander to return it. I would have loved to load it up last night, but we finally were getting some rain!
June 8th, am - I took last night off, more or less. Went to the house to collect the sander and return it. Took Lazarus. Managed to back up nearly to the deck steps, drop the gate, and only have to move the probably 100-lb sander a couple of feet across, instead of having to lift it. This was to be preferred. I ended up unloading it by myself when I got there, although as soon as I actually had it inside the store, a kid showed up and offered to help. I'd been inside indicating I wanted to return it before that, and no help appeared.... oh, well. It impressed some people who saw me do it. This morning I have lazed around. Oh, went to Wal-mart last night for supplies, and then (oh, decadence) watched a movie. So I have tung oil. Had a moment of doubt this morning about whether I really would be able to wax over the oil if I took a notion to, since it would be more protective, and made some phone calls, trying to find somebody who might give another opinion. Finally tried a search on Google and found a company that sells wax... and oil... and they recommend applying their wax after their oil... so that settles that. Whew. So I'm off to pull up the rest of the godforsaken tack strips and take the belt sander to the edges. This could be a long, long process. I am about to expire with the desire to see the finished result! This house is an interesting experience - on the one hand, I find myself really wishing I had somebody to help, mostly to keep me company. On the other, I am looking forward to being able to say I refinished these lovely floors ALL BY MYSELF. If Prince Charming happens along now, I don't know what I'll do - I'm sure not giving up MY house, and I don't know if I could even share. Fortunately, I don't think there's much chance of the question even coming up. Hmm. Am I delaying getting to work? On the excuse of giving my back some time to unlock, yes. Must be because I took last night off. Away I go... June 8th, pm - Still, it looked better. Then I started
rubbing in finish, decided very quickly that this was nonsense, and
got TWO big washcloths, stood on them, and proceeded to skate back and
forth, working finish in. I did the same for the bedroom, figuring I
can do those edges tomorrow, or whenever I get in the mood. Once I get
the living room done, I can move into the house, using the second
bedroom, and finish the big bedroom floor when I get the notion. Hard to tell from the pictures, but the floors are starting to glow.
Somewhere in there I took a "break" and went out to unload
some mulch from the truck, and then planted my daylilies, plus an entire
flat of plants I bought on the way down there today. I am weary. Now.
The tung oil says to keep the rags in a can with a metal lid. I have no
such thing. They're in the back of the truck. I hope they don't burn up...
Now HERE is where singularity pays off. Popcorn for dinner.
June 9 -
Today I painted the dreadful dusty rose closet doors. First I made
a trip to SLowe's, and vowed to take a chaperone next time. Bought a
lamp, some molding, sandpaper, light bulbs... the best thing, though,
was finding exactly the blue I wanted in the reject paint stack, for $3/gallon.
It's "blueberry". Strong, I concede, but it's what I wanted, and now
the doors don't look like they were salvaged from some mid-80s condo.
Skated another coat of tung oil on the floors. Oiled the molding I bought.
June 2nd, leftover
Feh.
Well, I just can't be conventional.
I've decided to oil the floors, rather than coat them with polyurethane. Last night I spent several more hours with the sander, and began to see real progress. Sat down and wiped off a piece of the floor with a damp paper towel, and decided I couldn't bring myself to put polyurethane on it. Too silky and nice. And it will never look like a new floor. It's obviously old beat-up floor, but I think it will be beautiful anyway. This pic has them still dusty and nasty, and I still haven't done the edges, but lo! They are improving.
Ooooooooo, owwwwwwwww.
Some folks get excited about hand-rubbed wood finishes. Power to them.
I've got foot-rubbed finish on the floor. Today I finished removing the
tack strips in the living room. Thought about doing the same in the
bedroom, but my back said no. So I commenced to sanding - there is a
trick to getting a new belt on a belt sander, and I'm very pleased
with myself for divining what it is. Wish I'd done as nice a job on the
sanding, but it requires a knack which one doesn't get until about
halfway 'round the room. 
Decided the carpet in the entry, hall area, and kitchen had to go. Ripped out all that, discovered the kitchen floor is actually good enough to sand and oil, but I'm out of energy for renting the sander. I will paint those floors instead.
June 10th - Sorry, no pics tonight. Batteries low in the camera. Come to think of it, my own batteries could use a recharge. I got the trim painted this evening so I can install it whenever, I got the tack strip up from the entry way, and the bazillion staples pulled up. Swept and swept, and painted the floor.
Tomorrow my friend Mary is going to help me move a bunch of stuff, and hopefully Ghyie will help Wednesday. I'm MOVING. Going to call the phone company tomorrow to get the phone switched over on Wednesday, planning to sleep in MY house Wednesday night. That means the bed, the computer, and the cats have to go Wednight evening. Wheeeee!!!
My next trip for supplies will involve a huge bottle of ibuprofen
June 11th -
Arrived and found a foil-wrapped item on my kitchen windowsill. Turned out to be a banana bread from some neighbors, with a "Welcome to Saxapahaw" note. I nearly cried.
Phoebe is sleeping on the floor near the door, where she can keep an eye on me. She is NOT pleased. It's going to be too hot to take her to work and let her snooze in the car tomorrow, so I reckon she'll have to stay here in her crate, but I know she'll hate it and worry all day. Oh, well. No help for it. Mouth will be happier with her here, anyway.
June 20th - So what, I hear you cry, is the news?!?! Over a week since an update. I've been
moving piles of stuff from house to house, and trying to figure out where to put it. Since
I didn't feel well for a couple of days, I even tried to do a little resting and movie-watching.
Met the local law the other night, he was coming to see what the crack ho who lives down the
back drive was calling about - some sort of disturbance which was settled before he got there.
Nice fellow.
Got a cranky lawnmower going, mowed the orchard and front yard, which was a tank of gas.
Suddenly the idea of having a riding mower and cruising around with my gut hanging out has
a certain appeal.
Went out to the barn last weekend, rode Rowdy, Mimi rode Heloise, we took Heloise on her first
ever trail ride. When we first started into the woods, she tried to turn around and go home,
didn't want any of those deep dark woods! So Mimi and I traded, and Heloise soon settled down,
was plodding along like an old hand in no time, letting the others get ahead of her without
excitement, etc. Very pleasant. I went trotting off on Rowdy down the trail where there are a
couple jumps off along the side, and Rowdy very eagerly asked to go over them - of course
I went along with this request. Mary and Hannibal led the way for most of the ride, though,
and Hannibal just smiled and smiled.
Sorry there isn't anything more exciting to report. I'm waiting with bated breath for my
brass to come, it's supposed to come tomorrow, which means I can load ammo tomorrow night
for the State Games on Saturday.
June 21 - 
Stopped last night at a used furniture/antique store, and found a super-comfy armchair,
a great iron bed headboard, and a pair of lamps I HAD to have. She also had a mahogany desk
with inlaid leather top that I adored, but cannot afford. Oh, well. Maybe someday. I'm pretty
tickled with my lamps.
My brass came today! So tonight I'll be busy loading. Hooray! I'll try to report on that
match tomorrow evening.
June 24th -
Sunday I went to sLowe's and bought a rose, a gaura, a hibiscus, and a beardtongue, along with a bunch of calladium. Planted them all. Planted the dozen or so dianthus that have been languishing in pots since I began the move. Went over to Oxbow and loaded up bookcases and books and a trunk of fabric and a bunch o' junk, wrestled Lazarus back home with it, unloaded. It was such a lovely day yesterday, hot and thick and disgusting, and I was dripping wet by the time I got done - in fact, I interspersed unloading with planting and running water on my head. Thanks to a surprisingly low first power bill, I left the AC seriously on and enjoyed it at intervals. Loaded all the old carpet and padding into the truck, which I drove to work today. Now to figure out how to get to the landfill when it's open...
>
July 1 -I went out this evening for a quick walk, probably just shy of 2 miles, round trip. It was so thick and humid that it looked like thick smoke in the air, or morning fog. Nasty. And very still. The only hope of a breeze was to walk quickly. I was drenched in short order.
On the entire walk, I encountered 4 cars. A welcome change from where I have been living the last couple years - heck, even the address the 10 years before that, the road was busier and busier.
Right now there are two elderly black labs wandering around my yard, infuriating Phoebe because I won't let her go eat them. They'll probably pee on my flowers, but I would still rather she didn't get in a big ruckus with two such benevolent animals. I've no idea where they came from. I guess they followed us home, but couldn't keep up, they're so old and fat and half blind.
I met up with a neighbor who was out jogging - he called out a good evening as he approached, I allowed as how it was a nice night for a swim. He asked if I was a neighbor, I said yes, a new one, and he introduced himself, I introduced myself, and then we had some big ah-ha as we realized that he is the husband of a horsewoman I used to work for, and their child went to my mom's kindergarten many years ago.
I turned around to walk with him and chat.
For all the extra dogs and the drug addict down the back drive, I do love this neighborhood. So many pleasant experiences immediately. And such a perfect road for going on a walk - it's uphill for the longest, going away. All one long slow grade for quite some distance - a surprising distance, when I think about it. Anyway, that makes it downhill on the way home! 
Last week one of our customers brought us a vase of roses she had grown herself. And she was just coming for an oil change! I was amazed. I am such a sucker for flowers. I ogled and sniffed those roses for days, trimmed their stems, cooed over them... very beautiful.
Oh, and I did get the new plants in the ground - although the main thing that shows in this pic is the cleome that came with the place. 
July 6th - The feed and garden place I pass frequently
had a sign out this weekend saying Roses, $5.
So I stopped in and asked WHICH roses were $5. All but the tree roses.
It turns out that 5 will fit in my trunk with it open. So I have 2
old-fashioned red ones, a creamy white, a pink, and a two-tone pink
and cream.
Got to figure out just where to put them.
Over the holiday I have put away the boxes of things in the kitchen, I
finally folded and hung the piles of laundry, put more things away,
unloaded the last giant truckload from the old house, put away and tidied.
Still need to vacuum. But oh, I do like my house!
Maybe this afternoon I'll work on pulling staples out of the kitchen floor,
try to get it ready to paint. Definitely am a lot closer than I was.
Phoebe sure loved the pig ear I got her at the garden center! She settled
down and ate it all up, every last scrap. Even growled at Mouth for
walking too close!
My well has silt in it again since the storms. I guess I just need to
resign myself to buying drinking water.
Wed night I went down to Pinehurst and picked up all the mailing
materials, etc, that I need for my new job as Membership Secretary
of the NCRPA. Oh, so glamorous! I admit I enjoy answering the phone "NCRPA".
Yes, it's weird.
August 14th - Well, now. It HAS been a while. The National Matches weren't what they could have been for me. The friend I was expecting to see there didn't show up, I was mad and didn't shoot well, then I was mad because I hadn't shot well, and I didn't shoot well, and then I was mad. The van broke down in West Virginia on the way home. On a Saturday afternoon. After all rental car agencies were closed. Fortunately the dealership was open and nearby, we got a tow, and I spent several hours sleeping on the floor of the (air conditioned, and thereby luxurious) waiting area, between bouts of entertaining small children. Best of all, it wasn't my van, and I wasn't driving.
As for the house, it's coming along, after a hiatus for Camp Perry. My kitchen counter cabinets are now cobalt blue, and so is (most of) the refrigerator. New pulls and all. Next, the up-high cabinets shall become white with cobalt trim. The entryway has 3 coats of hard white gloss paint, and cobalt "tile" edging in progress. Pics of this project soon.
