I'm on vacation...

Wanna know why I'm on vacation?

My ex-boss, Len Lemieux (he of the shakes), decided that we just CAN'T have more than two machine operators off work in the same week. Ergo, the other TEN PEOPLE in the dept who are all senior to me have managed to book off some time between June 1st and Sept 1st. Not so yours truly. I figured Spring Break might be the next best thing if I wanted to spend some Quality Time with the wife and kids. We've gone on a couple of day-trips so far, but nothing too extravegant. Saw "Doogal" with the kids and the wife saw "Brokeback Mountain". I still want to see Ultraviolet (it's Ultra-Violent!!!), as I am currently suffering from Eye Candy Withdrawl.

Speaking of suffering...

I have a small abcess in a front tooth. Naturally, with teeth like ten miles of bad road, the inflammation in question is in a location I cannot see, let alone reach. I've tried chewing gum, dental yarn, tylenol, and finally Cepacol lavage. The discomfort is under control, but it was a rough couple of days while I figured out how to deal. My pursuit of Dental Hygiene has never been particularily vigorous, but lately I've become a fanatic...It's either that, or having to go through an extraction that would likely break my lower jaw (snaggle-teeth are no fun, especially impacted ones). Contrary to popular wisdom, cavities don't happen because there is bacteria on your teeth...Cavities happen when the bacteria break down the tooth enamel faster than your body can repair it. Teeth are the only bones in your body that grow constantly. Also, like other bones, material is leached away and replaced more-or-less constantly. This process slows down when you are older; which is why bones become brittle and teeth can get loose and fall out when you get real old. Anyway: keep those pearly whites clean kids, even if they're crooked...or, I should say: especially if they're crooked.

Speaking of keeping things clean:

Laurie has reduced her demands on me to three:

-The Stairs
-The Baseboards
-The Garage

So, I'm cleaning the garage currently...'cause I can't do anything about the other two until I clear some space to work in. Problem: most of the debris in the workshop is Granpa's. I have managed to toss the scrap metal we have added to the pile, but the shop is still a mess...I really need to swap around: store Granpa's scooters and stuff in the shop, with only occaisional forays inside to use the saw and other woodworking tools; and use the Garage for MY needs: automechanics, computers and bikes...

Ya know...that just might work.

The shop could also use a little work. The ceiling is still a mess -- we should perhaps have told the guys at classic wood restorations to go ahead and restore the shop ceiling while they were doing the deck, but I guess we didn't think of it at the time. I have no idea if there is even any material to repair the celing with...must check later. There is something dead hidden in all that mess, if the mild stink, and cloud of blue-bottle flies are any indication. There was a rat in there last year...and we think that perhaps it expired, and the carcass is feeding all those hungry lil' flies in there. I just KNOW I'm gonna find some dessicated nasty when we finally get around to shipping all of Granpa's tools and scraps out of there.

Granpa himself is all set up at the care facility in South Delta. We are fairly resigned to the idea that he won't be returning to live with us...but we won't be moving any of his property out of the house, garage, or shop until he's actually deceased.

KWY showed me a venture that has him frankly quite excited. More on that later, as events warrant.