WOTTA WEEK

Wednesday and Thursday were days spent hard at work.  The giant bar we were working on had some very large and heavy pieces.  They had to be wheeled down a hill and through the clients yard, but they weigh so much we couldn't just roll the A-frame through the grass.  So we layed out sheets of plywood and took the one from the back and ran it to the front and continued this process until we made it to the concrete patio.  I imagined what the slaves in Egypt went through while building the pyrimids.  Outside of intermittent periods of light rain, the weather cooperated nicely.  Here are a couple pics of the completed project.

Glad thats done

This guy is living the dream

The stone guys have to replace the missing pieces and we are done.  Here is a lousy video to give you some perspective on the size of this bar.

Friday I hooked up the fiber optics on this bar and went out to another outdoor bar by a pool that we did last fall.  The client wanted us to install some stainless shelving units to hide the fiber optic boxes,  They also add storage space for the bar...

They also match the other stainless behind the bar

This size bar is more realistic

After that was complete, I headed out to install the steel brackets on yet another outdoor bar we will be doing soon.  

But all work and no play makes Danny a (choose your own word here) boy.  Robyn texted me about 3 o'clock and asked if I wanted to take her out on a date that night.  My response was  'Duh.  Of course I do.'  So I finished what I was doing and got my butt home and in the shower.

We decided that we would go downtown and sit on a patio to enjoy our dinner, then go to the Des Moines Art Festival.  The city closes down a lot of the downtown area streets by the sculpture garden (it streches for several blocks) and venders come in from all over the country, and the world, to sell their art.  As we approached downtown, we thought we had better go to the art festival first and maybe even eat there because last year Robyn wasn't able to appreciate the sculpture garden due to darkness falling.  We arrived to a teaming throng of people wandering the tent lined streets.  It really is a big deal.  Look at the crowd.  This is facing west..

Note the edge of the red painting on the far right

And here is the view facing east..

Check out the work of art in front checking me out

Robyn and I decided we would splurge and get a piece of art.  We found one that reminded us of a time we sat in chairs on the beach as the tide rolled in.  Some of the waves could have washed us out to sea.  Maybe it was a little crazy, but we won't soon forget it.  And now we found a painting to remind us of that time every day.  It was the red one in the picture.

We think it will be great above our fireplace

We were a little sceptical at the price.  Only $50.  Ok, ok,  so we didn't get the one you saw in the photo above.  It was a little smaller.  Here it is placed on our mantle..

Thats what half a C note gets you

When we splurge, we really go nuts!

As we walked around we found an artist that makes dresses.  You're saying that making dresses is not art.  Well if you use odd material it could be called art.  She used old barn boards, old liscense plates, and we found one that I had to have a picture of.

Just keep it out of the hail

With the price of this dress you could get most of your roof redone.  As we wandered along we saw these.  They were priced fairly high (as was everything).  Robyn said she always see things and thinks to herself, "Dan could make me that."  In this case, I think she's right, and at a far lower price.

I'm not sure where to find the test tube vases tho

As the sun was beginning to set we stopped and grabbed a bite to eat and then walked through the sculpture garden.  This is a permanent park downtown and there are some awesome pieces there.  Here are just a few..

This thing was 8 to 10 feet tall,  made of drift wood

Airhead....see the ballons

Not sure what it is,...  but it's cool

As the evening wore on we ventured into a large tent that said 'Wine and Jazz'.  Two things that we both love.  We were very excited to see BellaSoul performing.  The keyboard player and guitarist are both regulars in the Point of Grace band every Sunday.  The lead singer, Tina House-Findley sometimes sings there too.  Here is a quick video to give you a taste...

We went up after the set and asked if we could hire them for our 25th anniversary.  It is several years from now but Tina said they have gigs booked two years from now so it's never too early.  We will look online to find rates and see how much we have to save.  We did buy one of their cds.

The night was drawing to a close so we figured we better head home,  here is a pic at the end of the night.

came to town to see the sights, hung around to see the lights

We got home just in time to see Canyon and his friends arrive, and they wanted a fire.  So we had a fire..

Get out the hot dogs and marshmellows!

I found out the reason for the fire was to burn old school work.  These kids hate old school work.  They were tearing up note books and feeding the fire like they wanted it hot enough to smelt gold.

Robyn talks about burning thick texas toast

The fire died down and we headed off to bed.  It was a big day.

Saturday, as you could probably guess, was a 'get nothin done day'.  We did manage to get some food in our bellies.

Culver's snack packs...YUM

We rented a movie and lounged around most of the day.

Sunday was church.  It was the conclusion of the God and Country series.  Lead pastor Jeff is pasionate about keeping God in our country.  It makes me think about the squeaky wheel.  It takes all four wheels to keep the car rolling but the squeaky one gets the grease.  The other three just keep on rolling along, without a sound.  

That's what is happening in this country.  The majority sit silently while the few who say they don't want to be offended by talk of God get what they want.  God taken out of our country.  Out of the Pledge of Allegiance, out of school, off our curency, off all government buildings.  That's sad.  I think it's time for the other three wheels to start making some noise, because now I'm offended.  What about me?  What about my rights?

Don't lie to yourself and think none of this is true when you know that it is.

Here is one more sculpture from the Des Moines Arts Festival.  I was so drawn to this, and if it wasn't so danged expensive it would be sitting on this desk right in front of me.  It symbolizes everything that I was just talking about.  It's the reason some want God taken out.  And the reason others don't say anything about it.  We all are going through the same thing and aren't sure which way to go.  We may not see it but we all suffer the same tug of war.  It's called 'Self Struggle' and there is wisdom in this piece of art.  We all need to pick a side.  I know which side I choose.

The battle rages on

Peace

Dan