5/1/2007

Hello again and thank you for reading my newsletter.  We’ve got through our son Chris’ wedding and have helped him and his wife, Shanna, move to the Kansas City area.  They were married, on the beach, in Myrtle Beach, SC.  It was a beautiful day for the wedding, with warm temperatures and a slight breeze.  The next day however, the weather was terrible.  The temperature was around 50 degrees and the wind was blowing about 50 MPH.  We had a very nice ocean side suite on the 18^th floor, with sliding glass doors in the living room area and also in the master bedroom.  The main entry door to the room was on the opposite side of the room from the sliders.  The wind on that day was blowing in a direction that apparently caused a vacuum on the ocean side of the building.  The air was being sucked through our room, out the sliders and in through the entry door on the other side of the room.  This caused a constant breeze through our room and made a whistling sound as the air passed through the gap between the sliding doors.  When we opened the sliders slightly to stop the whistling sound, it increased the velocity of the breeze through the room and made it almost dangerous to open the entry door as the wind would rip it open with some force.  Thankfully, the weather was a little better the next day as we left for Kansas City driving a rental truck with their furniture and their two vehicles.  The drive to KC went very well and we arrived in two days.  Chris’ friend Travis drove the rental truck nearly all of the way.  We were grateful that he was willing to drive the truck and leave the more comfortable rides for us.  Atta’, boy Trav’!!

Gunsmithing; I’ve pretty much pulled the plug on gunsmithing until I get the knives finished for the Mastersmith test.  I was working on guns in the evening after spending the day working on knives, but have stopped that, as I need to spend all of my available time working on the knives.  I will get back to the guns after the Blade Show.

Work on the Master’s test knives has been going pretty well, but I am behind the schedule that I planned for completion of the pieces.  And yes, I am officially panicking. I have two knives finished and three knives in process.  I still should be able to complete the knives in time, but I have no room for problems or do-overs if I am not happy with the finished knife.  So, all I have to do is make perfect knives on the first attempt, not making any stupid errors that ruin the piece that I am working on and without any interruptions that take up the time that I have available to work in the shop.  What’s to worry about………

Speaking of interruptions…..  Last Saturday I was working in the shop when the electricity went off for nearly an hour.  I had the doors to the shop open since the weather was very nice that day and I was cutting out parts on the band saw when the electricity went off.  I was a bit agitated at the interruption as I was trying to take advantage of all available time to work.  According to my wife, I voiced my dismay rather loudly and with language that left no doubt about my displeasure.  She thought that perhaps our neighbors may have been able to hear me; as well as the folks at the electric company offices, 30 miles away.

Well, by the June newsletter, I should be able report whether I am gong to be able to make a serious attempt at passing the Master’s test this year or not.  I am fairly certain that I will be missing a good portion of my sanity by then, no matter the results of my work.  I suppose, if necessary, I could have Mary write the newsletter for me; if she can understand my delirious ramblings and can also still stand to be around me.  I’m going to owe her big time by then for putting up with me while I work on these knives………….

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