Plastic Dip

I've been looking for flatware with colored handles.  I was looking online today and found a product called Plastic Dip.  I'm now thinking I may make my own!   Plastic Dip was originally used to coat the handles of tools.  I like this idea better.  You can buy it at Home Depot.  Some people suggest "re-purposing" flatware from a thrift store.  Somehow, I don't think so...

So I may take my old flatware, or buy new and make these.  I may make a set of glasses to go with them!

I guess you can actually Plastic Dip just about anything.  Look what someone did with this stuff.

I have a pair of eye glasses that have metal frames.  I hate metal frames.  Maybe I'll dip 'em!  I'm thinking I may Plastic Dip the grandkids.  They're all growing up way too fast.

So what would YOU Plastic Dip?



Oh Lucky Day...

Last Wednesday I left to head to Wendover, Nv with mom and some of her Bunco friends and an old friend from high school and her mother.  Now to most people, flying in to Wendover looks like an absolute hell hole.  I, however, was fascinated.

The plane landed on a tiny airstrip and toward what was an old WW II building.  As we taxied down the runway toward the building, we passed old bunkers that had evidently held ammunition and supplies.  Dotted all throughout the desert on the outskirts of town were old wooden buildings, most with their windows missing, but they obviously held many stories. 

As we taxied to where we would deplane, I thought to myself how I wished we had a car.  I would have loved to have taken some time to drive around town and been able to look at some of those wonderful old buildings and take a bunch of pictures.  I was enthralled.

But, instead we headed to the casino where we would be staying.  It was beautiful and obviously the nicest of the three in town.  We had to wait an hour before our luggage would arrive at the casino and before we could check into our room so I found a machine and sat down to play after depositing my $10.  One of our group was sitting at the machine next to me so we started chatting while I hit the "repeat play" button.  I turned toward my machine and it was in some kind of bonus mode.  It took several minutes for it to finish and I looked down to see how much I had won.

I looked at the machine then asked my friend.  "Does that say - $52?" 

She looked at the machine.  "Noooooooo." 

"Holy shit.  Did I just win $500?"

"Nooooooo.  You just won $519."

"Oh crap."

Yep.  Twenty minutes after arriving I had won over $500.  The rest of the night I couldn't lose.  I ended up stashing $600 that I promised myself I would take home.  The next day, not so good.  We went to the other casinos and I never won again.

So, the next morning we had to be on the bus back to the plane at 9:45.  At 8:20 I sat down at a machine near the door so I wouldn't miss the bus.  I only had a $50 bill and stuck it in, deciding that if I got down to $25 I would quit.

I started hitting the "repeat play" button after choosing how much I wanted to bet on each spin.  I started winning again!  I looked down and realized I was betting $1.50 each spin instead of my usual .80 but it was working.  I got into lots of bonus rounds and ended up walking away with over $300 from that machine.

So, I came home with $900 and 4 lottery tickets I had bought to scratch on the way down.  I knew I had won $48 ($40 of which was on a $10 ticket - I never spend $10 on a lottery ticket). 

This morning I remembered they were in my purse and took them in to cash them.  Turned out my $40 winner was actually a $100 winner so I walked out of there with $116.  Damn!

It was a fun trip and I had such a good time.  I do love penny slots!  Thanks for inviting me mom!

Citrus Sectionals...

I'm not entirely sure why, but when I saw this sectional, I fell in love with the style and color.  Citrus.  Who'd have thought it.

I like this one too...

and this one...

I'm pretty darned sure I'd have room for all three in the new living room.  Well, at least 2 of them. 

Oh Frig...

I know that once you "grow up" and get older that body parts will occasionally shift and settle.  That's ok, it's part of getting older.  However, I wasn't at all prepared for what I discovered today.

You see, my feet have been hurting so bad lately.  I know it's partly from neuropathy but it's gotten so bad that I'm miserable at work and dread going because by 10am they hurt so bad I just want to go home.  So, today Adam was at the Army recuiter's office and I decided to run a few doors down to the shoe store to see if I could find something more comfortable for work.

I found several pair I liked and tried them all on in my usual size 7 or 7 1/2.  Every single one was just as miserable as every pair I own.  I was about to leave the store when I thought, "hmmmmm, maybe I'll try a 1/2 a size bigger and see what happens."

Damn if they weren't more comfortable.  I'm just sick - I guess I now wear a size 8 freakin' shoe.  SIZE 8!!!!

Juuuuuuuuuuuust great.

Picking Out a Front Door...

Ival has a friend who owns Reclaimed Lumber Products.  He takes lumber from old barns and buildings and makes the most beautiful flooring, cabinets, doors and furniture.  We had originally thought of using his flooring throughout the house, but once we REALLY thought about the practicality of it, we decided otherwise.  The soil on Jacob Springs is very sandy and loose and with 7 grandkids, 2 dogs, and all the traffic we'll have in and out, it just wasn't practical. 

So, we're going out tonight to pick out the wood and style for our front door.  Titus suggested we use 2 doors for our front but for energy efficiency (our builder is LEED certified) we've decided to go with 1 BIG door instead.  I can't wait to see what he has!

We have 2 dining room tables that have been in our families for many years, but if I can talk Elmer into it, I'm going to order one of these.  I REALLY want a beautiful 10 ft. farm table and love the wood on this one...

One thing I appreciate about Titus' work is that he gives you the history of the wood he uses in your product - where it came from, the age, what the building was used for.  I love beautiful old wood.

The Septic System is in...

The boo boo on the grade of the slope is now fixed and the septic system is in.  We've been approved for the loan and we should have a building permit in about 10 days.  It's all going so smooth that Ival is pretty sure that Pam got together with dad "up there" and said, "Let's get this going!"

These extra mounds of dirt will be used for pasture.  Aren't they beautiful!

 

I can't believe we may be building our new home on Jacob Springs within 2 weeks.  I haven't been this excited in a very long time.  I feel like a kid again!

Caught in the Act of Doing Good...

A few days ago I got a call from the Regional Conservation Officer in Twin Falls, telling me about a project he's hoping to start in their Region called "Caught in the Act of Doing Good."  He explained that they wanted to have a coin made that the officers could carry and give out to individuals and groups who are doing good things for the wildlife of Idaho.

For the artwork on the coin, they wanted to use dad's print of the Cowboy and the Bird.  I called mom to ask her about it and we both agreed that we couldn't think of a better way to use dad's artwork.

Today, Gary sent me a copy of what the coin will look like.  My first thought was how proud dad would be to know his artwork was being used for such a positive program.  I hope the Department gives them the go-ahead to purchase the coins and that it eventually goes statewide as people aren't often enough recognized for the good they do.

So, here it is.  Pretty awesome isn't it!

From Boys to Men...

18 years ago, at about the age of 4 months, still buckled in his carseat, we dropped Adam off at his first, and only daycare.  Chris Pierce had a waiting list but we finally got him in.  She was awesome.  That very day, as Ival went to pick him up, he saw an old friend from high school that he hadn't seen in years.  As it turned out, her son, just a few months older than Adam, also went to Chris' daycare.  Though the boys started out together too young to play, or talk, or walk, as they grew older, they became fast and best friends.

Over the years, Ben and Adam were inseparable.  Ben spent most weekends at our house.  He was like another son to us.  Today, at age 18, they are still best friends and spend a lot of time together.

Tonight, I looked outside and there they were - almost like little kids again, jumping on the trampoline and being boys.  I can't describe the feeling that came over me.  So many wonderful memories - trick or treating in their costumes, coming to our house for the 4th of July every year, growing up together to become wonderful young men.

They now spend their time together going to cross-fit training to prepare themselves for the military and hanging out.  Ben has joined the Marines and will be leaving for boot camp in July.  Adam is getting ready to join the Army.  They've come so far. 

I knew they'd have a fit if I went out and took pictures - pictures that I felt I needed to have.  So, being a mother, I snuck upstairs and watched for a long time as they enjoyed being boys, and managed to sneak a few pictures through the window at the boys who have been such good friends for such a long time.

Then Adam came upstairs and caught me.  So I skulked downstairs and told them I needed a picture of the muscles they've gotten while doing cross-fit.  After a lot of talking, I finally got a few...

What a wonderful night this was...

Like Having Disneyland in Our Backyard!

When we first bought Jacob Springs, I looked and looked for a tractor for Elmer.  I knew how much fun he would have if he were able to start the things he wanted to.  Unfortunately, even a 1942 John Deere in running condition was more than we could afford at the time.

Well, we could be in big trouble.  Elmer's niece's husband informed him last night that he has a tractor in Portland that he wants to bring to Boise and offered to let Elmer use it on Jacob Springs. 










Kidding!  This is going to be like having Disneyland in the backyard for Elmer this spring.  He can put the pasture in himself instead of us hiring someone else to do it, maybe he can do some work on the pond, who knows!  I think we'll save ourselves a bunch on money.  I know we won't be seeing much of him once the tractor gets here. 

Thanks Steve.  You've just put the kid in the candy store!

Happy Trails...

Today we said a final goodbye to Ival's sister Pam.  She fought a long, hard battle for 6 years trying to beat cancer.  She was something.

 

Even going through chemo, she always smiled, and somehow, miraculously never aged.  She remained the beautiful person she had always been.

Several years ago, Pam decided that we needed to have monthly family dinners.  We will continue that tradition in her honor - as a way to remember that life is often too short and we have to remember how important it is that no matter how busy we may be, we need to take time for those we love.

Happy trails dear Pam.  You were an inspiration, a friend to many, and a teacher of how life should be lived.