Full force

These next few posts will be pretty stream of conscious. A lot has transpired in the last 5 months that we just have not notated. As mentioned, I returned from Afghanistan where we made friends with many dogs that acted human and killed many men that acted like dogs.

Since return, home repair and renovation has been on the forefront of our minds due to possible moves in the future. The very next morning after getting back from Afghanistan, the boys and I made breakfast in our nasty kitchen. It only solidified the fact that we would destroy it to rebuild it.

But before all of that could take place, before we could move on from the load bearing wall coming out, a week or so after I got back from Afghanistan, we were hit by Hurricane Irene. We lost several giant trees in the back yard and the power for about two days.

The shed wall collapsed, which opened our yard into the neighbors yard. That meant there was no protecting them from our hoards of kittens, boys, and rottweilers.

In the meantime, when we had no power for lights and my propane stoves decided not to work, I was able to tap into my inner Lars Ekelund and create an ingenious lighting device. I took a bowl, wrapped it in tin foil with the shiny side out, and suspended it up above a flash light. The curvature and reflective surface gave off an impressive amount of light, enough for Janet to practice her craft of being a lovely and wonderfull momma all the time, in all weather.

We then were forced to cook out of doors, but my boys and I were not daunted by it. We fired up the charcoal grill and ate like kings on our beef and chicken. It even had the flavor of being cooked in 70 mile per hour winds.

Not long after that, Silas started kindergarten. We went and purchased him some clothes from H&M with the intent that he be a dapper and respectful boy. I must say he is one of the finest dressed boys in his class, at least whern he is not cutting his clothes with scissors or biting holes in his sleeves. He is slowly but surely learning that he is not a jungle boy and has even found admiration for the fairer sex in two little girls named Piper and Maleeah. The latter is black and it was funny watching him try and describe who she was. To him, "She is like me, except she is a girl and her skin is like the color of momma's hair."

His appreciation for well tailored clothes and sophisticated women only lasted until we went camping up in the Pisgah National Forest in early September, however. As has been their modus operandi since they were born, as soon as we got into the mountains and out of the car, all these boys were naked, sticks were in hand, and faces were designed with ash, mud, and charcoal.

They were on the hunt in the river for anything that moved. Eerily enough, I don't think we saw or heard a living creature, not even a bird, the entire 3 days were were there.

I took some time to hunt for some mushrooms in true Swedish fashion. I know enough of wilderness farming of what mushrooms are potentially good or bad. I did the self test from the SAS handbook to make sure I would not poison the family, and when I did not die, I made a local addition to our stew!

When we got back, I bought a box of recessed lights, we got some paint, and went at the house with gusto. The results of that expedition are below:

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My next post, which likely should be tomorrow, will detail the unexpected arrival of some friends and further improvements on the house.

-Jake

Back from the war

I returned from Afghanistan August 15. August 16 I commenced in tearing out the load bearing wall separating our kitchen/dining room from the front room. It's become clear that the house was wired by a troop of chimpanzees on a 3 day coke and sugar bender. Now we have decided that the architect was likely a serial house breaker. Needless walls and corners and dark spaces are (were) the rule. I have never been the type to let a felon get the best of me, so I have dedicated my time to adding lights and tearing out walls. It's like an analogy for pure Ayn Rand Objectivism.

Even a dull man can notice that the space has opened up considerably. I had a contractor come out and give me a bid for tearing out the wall. He told me if I bought the materials for the beam, it would cost me around $700 to set the beam in, which had me tearing the wall out. Granted that mistakes vis-a-vis load bearing walls are either non-existent or cataclysmic, I elected to have a professional guide me. Or I had intended to until I went to the Global War on Terror (GWOT). Upon my return, my nerves were steeled and my gaze was set. "Mrs. Janet", I said, " Tear down this walll." Of course, she did little the tearing, so I did. I bought two 2X6X12s and a length of 1/2 inch plywood. I cut the plywood to match the boards, matched the lenth of the boards to the length of the wall, use a triangular screw pattern (from both sides) to create a beam, set up temp walls, crushed out the old, set up king studs, set my beam, held my breath, knocked out my temps and.......nothing! Which was the metaphysical perfect answer! Beams and joists should not speak so in their own way, this new beam/joist alliance is perfect. Plus, considering that it all cost me about $65 and 8 hours, I think I won.

Janet in the meantime has been in constant Beast Mode. Over deployment she lost some 45 pounds by diet change and gym time. Now she is gearing up for a figure competion in March or June. For Christmas she got Arnold's Encyclopedia on Body Building. Turns out it was the best gift ever. It's funny to see her in the gym deadlifting 155 pounds and everyone stops within 30 feet and stares. All the girls sheepishly step behind their men. All the men wish they could manage a beastly pump like she gets.

In the end, it seems only right that wild boys need a beast mode momma, a handy man pappa, and a very fine hat.

So I had assumed that given the sensitive nature of my current employment that this blog would be off limits. However, I met a jounralist who is a fellow lover of liberty and felt it wise to introduce her to my blog so that we may with greater ease stay in touch. I googled this page and clicked on the primary result and I found my blog was available! Frabjous day, indeed!

The current work of downsizing the hostile organization that I talked about last post is going well. Many men (I dare say that there are literally no women in the competition) have left in a blaze of glory, while others have felt the situation was too precarious and wished their former employers well. Most have gone into agriculture, which is honorable employment, to be sure!

It seems we are doing some good work here. The new arrangements we are making with a third organization seems to be working to our favor in terms of being more inclusive and human friendly.

Means and ends

In two weeks I deploy to Afghanistan. I have noticed something about my interactions with people. Usually when it is time to say goodbye, or in the past I have felt that I have more vested emotional interest in the departure than the other party. I mean more longing for the parting to not occur and for perhaps the duration to be short. But during the holidays as I was parting company with certain favorite sons and daughters of this world, I felt almost pithy and nearly flippant, as in, "Yeah, Whatever..."

In my mind I know that I am about to step into a precipace. War is something I have never been to, especially an insurgency. And we will be in a wild area. Death and injury occur. My head tells me that the American style of warfare leads to very few friendly casualties. Chances are that I will not be injured. But my friends and family were rather intense with their goodbyes. Perhaps it is part of the nature of man to disregard momentous moments like leaving friends and family for live war because to deeply feel the departure is to accept the gravity that destiny may call.

If not, I return in August. By that time, I may be dealing in black market modular prosthesis.

I feel that the Marine Corps has been for me an investment.