Early James: If Heaven is a Hotel
“Well, if heaven is a hotel with no checkout time
And hell is just a motel with smoking rooms
Can I get an estimation when to book my destination?
So sick of waiting for my skin to prune”
Blog
Beachcomber Nocturne
“Pink seafoam leaves odd gifts for me to find:
a puffed-up man-o-war, a mermaid’s purse,
empty lady slippers, Sargasso weed,
as if these things could fill my human needs.”
Tired
Liz and I are pretty beat. It’s been a whirlwind week, stemming back all the way to the previous weekend. We’ve been working our regular jobs, and then spending several hours each night getting things prepped for Halloween.
Yesterday was a blast. But boy, are we tired.
Halloween in Hyde Park, 2022: Plinko Board
We had a blast, watching kids step up and try to “win” their candy. I think the most memorable moments for us were when the kids tried to unsuccessfully play the game (we had several kids just throw the pucks at the board, head-on).
Plinko Board Build, Day 7: A Disturbing Discovery, Electronics Install, and the First Test Run
The whole thing was held together with alligator clips, and wires plugged in directly into the breadboard. It ain’t pretty, but… we got it to work.
Plinko Board Build, Day 6: Leg Work, Paint, and the Start of the Electronics
I’m not sure how I even accomplished my first and second solder attempts. I was so ham fisted today, I was leaving huge gobs of solder left and right.
As much as I struggled, I can’t even imagine doing anything small and with precision. I really need more soldering practice.
Plinko Board Build, Day 5: Frame Install, Plexi Glass Fit
Back to it. We’re getting a little better at using the belt sander, to fine-tune the curve of the leg stand legs. Really starting to get an itch to get an actual stand-up belt sander.
Plinko Board Build, Day 4: Dado Cuts, Revisited
I did several test cuts, and tried several variations of the small shims that came with the dado stack set. I was really surprised at how drastic the cuts were, based on the inclusion of one small little shim.
Plinko Board Build, Day 3: Dry Fit and Some Chaos
A big issue: in trying to get our pieces fully in, I was hammering the frame pieces in with a mallet. Despite me using a block of wood to lessen the direct impact, I was trying to really get the frame pieces to fit in.
Turns out, the dado cuts weren’t big enough. And my hammering ended up splitting the bottom frame. And we also damaged part of the right frame.
Plinko Board Build, Day 2: Dividers and Dowel Rods
Drilling holes for the dowel rods. It’s gettin’ real!
Plinko Board Build, Day 1: Dado Cuts and Layout
So you may or may not have guessed: we’re building a Plinko board for Halloween. This project involves a lot of newer things we haven’t done before (angled cuts, dado stack)… but we felt like it would be a good challenge. And a good opportunity to stretch our skills a bit.
Shopping and Prepping for Halloween
Our cart. At least three different times, one of us said “I don’t know if we have enough.” Which then resulted in us throwing another $15 bag of candy into the cart. Even now, I’m still not sure if we have enough.
Deck Work
A few photos over the course of a few days, showing off some progress on the back porch. Liz has been painting a bit, as I’ve been (slowly) working on getting the railing re-installed/replaced.
Date Night at Home Depot
It’s come to this. It’s a Friday night, we’re both done with work… and how do we spend it? Walking around Home Depot, looking for light bulbs, a dado stack, and some lumber.
Secret Plans
Liz and I have some big plans in the works. Being a little coy here. Maybe you can tell what this is. Maybe not.
Either way – it’s gonna be fun. Stay tuned.