IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE

Monday morning I sprayed some colored texture on the bathroom walls.  We thought it would look cool, but you be the judge..

Ok, ok.  Step 4 was wrong

I will have to do something about that.

After work I stopped by my brother-in-law Mike's house.  That's when I was introduced to Evan.  It was hard for him to sit still, and he didn't say much but he liked it when I rubbed his belly.

Free Evan

He fell out of a tree when he was only three weeks old.  Mike's daughters found him under a leaf.  They have been bottle feeding him for a month and are just about ready to set him loose.  I'm worried about Evan because they live on a busy street.

When I got home I happened to look out the basement window and I spotted this guy trapped in the window well.....

I think I'll call him Timmy

I went outside and got a bucket.  I climbed down into the well with him.  Timmy was frightened and jumped off the walls and window, then decided to hide behind my leg.  I laid the bucket down on it's side and coaxed him into the bucket.  I knew he would leap out of the bucket so I lifted it up and dumped it quickly.

If you have a weak heart skip the next part.

The window well is just feet from my back yard.  The very yard where Calvin was watching the goings on from.  Saddly, Timmy decided to bounce directly into Calvin's waiting jaws.  I am too old to jump right out of the window well to stop the dog and all Robyn's yelling didn't stop Calvin from doing what comes naturally.

Some folks rescue babies, but the Griswolds feed them to the lions.

I tried to be a hero....  sigh...   bummer.

Tuesday morning Chris put the finishing touches on the Granite sink job.

Gonna be a tough install

Meanwhile, I put a coat of paint on the textured walls.

Step 5 and done

Tuesday night, before I had to bartend, Robyn and I asked Nick if he would quit his job.  That's a lot to ask him but the three o'clock in the morning thing was killing me.   Please pray with us that Nick can find a job closer to home.   Anyway, back to bartending.  After last Tuesday, I was kind of excited.  I hoped to make a little extra tip money because the Saturday coming up is Robyn and my 22nd anniversary.  I am making secret plans to surprise her.

alrighty then, it's gonna have to be a cheap surprise

Wednesday night we had small group.  It was great as usual, but afterwords, Robyn and I hung around and talked with our group leader and his wife a little about our feelings of being led to do something greater.  I told them that I wasn't feeling a sense of fulfillment at work.  I love my job but I have been having this nagging feeling that I might be in the wrong place.  

I was asked if I thought these feelings were of myself or of God.  I don't know the answer,  but it's also very coincedental that Robyn is having these same feelings where she is. 

I can say that the studies at church and in small group have been talking directly to our hearts as well as the daily devotional.  I believe that something is going to present itself and we will be required to take a leap of faith, and I'm sure we are ready.

Thursday Chris and I went to install the granite sink job.  It was extremely difficult to get our pieces in place around his $3000 granite sink with-out causing any damage to his sink or our pieces.  Here's a couple of pics..

 

recessed cutting board looks sweet

rock face edge goes great with granite

After the install, I had to run some lights to an electrician on a patio job we did.  On the way there I saw what I thought to be a great self employment oppertunity, and it reminds me of a story.

Goose-b-gone: nuisance wildlife control

Robyn shared a story with me about a pair of geese that were nesting in a big flower pot outside a resturant where Robyn eats lunch.  The mother goose would chase people around the parking lot trying to protect her eggs.  Because of the over population of canadian geese, they are becoming very urbanized.  The story goes on that all the patrons watched the babys as the began to grow.  Then one day, while people were eating and bird watching, two hawks dived bombed the nest and took the babies out into the lot and ate them...

Is it just me or is this a morbid post?  

It's just nature taking it's course.

It does go to show that the goose chaser guy is on to something.

When I got to the patio job, which is also where I built the firepit, I decided to snap a quick photo of the pit with the cap.

I think the cap should be a bit bigger

Then I had to run to another job.  We are repairing a pool deck and restaining it.  Although we do pour concrete pool decks, this one wasn't ours.  We have restained other concrete for this client and he asked us to fix the deck too.

looks good from afar

After work I was asked to stop by the church and repair a wall that some wild teen-ager accidently kicked a hole through.

hole-y

Friday I had to run out to the other firepit job.  The clients dad had accidently dragged a huge, heavy metal object across his new bar top and put a scratch in it so we resealed it.  I went out to buff it out and take down any tape and plastic.

that cap looks more proportional

looks like a good spot for a pina-coloda

I got home just in time to witness Robyn having a Griswold moment.  

Hobbs, our cat, gets two kinds of cat food mixed together.  One for hairballs and one for weight control.  Anyway, she was shaking the container to mix the two and the lid came off.  Catfood went everywhere.  We found it in the cabinets and in the dishwasher.

Calvin was Johnny on the spot to help with the clean up.

the bunny slayer/catfood vacuum

Saturday, we were up early.  It was our anniversary.  We drove an hour and a half to a winery.  They were celebrating their 6th anniversary with a free tasting, free tours, free commerative wine glasses and free food.  It's a good thing I didn't need those tips.  We met my brother Steve and his wife Bonnie there.  They were celebrating their anniversary also.

touring wine country

After the winery we stopped into the town of Pella.  We found a small resturant and had lunch then did some shopping.  Robyn found a couple things for her garden but they were a little over priced.  We bartered the price down some and left happy.  I will put them up later and show you a pic.  We then followed Steve over to see his new lake house.  It will take a little work but the price was right and the location is great.

I took a picture of an old barn on the property..

somebody get Steve a Garden Weasel

We left Steve and started heading back home, but we decided to stop in the hamlet of Pleasantville for some ice cream.  This town is extremely laid back.  I accidently embarrased myself when I locked the car with my key chain and it honked.  It echoed really loud because there wasn't another car in sight.  I'm sure it wasn't an unsafe neighborhood, as a matter of fact it was the only neighborhood in town.

It was very Mayberryish.

just laying around like a bump on a log

I had plans for us to go out that night to see one of our favorite singers performing for free at a local pub, but we opted to stay home, watch a movie and head to bed.

Sunday the service talked about how we find ourselves in sin.  Last post I said something about not understanding why King David did the things he did and how he got to that place.  It dosen't just suddenly happen.  No one decides on the spot to be an addict, or embezzle millions of dollars.  Those things start out small.  Like, I'll try cocaine just this once to impress somebody, or I'll only take a little of the money and pay it back later.  Unfortunatly, if we don't protect ourselves from those temptations they begin to grow.  And before we know it we are up to our armpits in the muck and can't find the way out.   

The answer is to look up.

The shed blood of Jesus can wash the muck away. 

 

If you're reading this and you think your stuck in your mess, ask Christ into your life right now and He will show you the way.  It won't happen over night but it will happen.

Sunday was Mother's Day.  Tradition has it that we meet up with another couple for brunch and bloody marys.  We sat out on the patio and enjoyed the weather and each others company for a while then went home.  Robyn went up to take a nap and I got some chores done.   Then it was R&R time.

surrounded by flowers on Mother's Day, ready for a nap

Me avoiding the temptation to over work

Peace

Dan