Name the Car?

Sixty years ago, the "big three" US automakers were making some "cool" cars. Today I saw one. All I have to do is show you one clue, and you will know the car.

The tail light told you it was a 1956 Chevrolet, and the "Bel Air" told you it was the top of the line model that Chevy made that year. The Impala was still 2 years away. 

It was pretty thing to see--a lemon yellow and polar white, two tone hardtop. It featured a wrap-around windshield, a bench seat, an automatic transmission, and a snazzy AM radio. Look at that simple chrome line that seems to force the car forward. It definitely has style!

She was a pretty car in her day...and 60 years later she's still a pretty car. 

This beauty was tucked in the back of a parking lot, away from the newer plain vanilla cars that all look like refrigerators with wheels. She screamed "look at me" so I did! 

Twenty One-derful

I just finished the 21st blanket of the year. It's my new favorite pattern, "ripple and shell" in a combination of colors  I've never used before. 

I think this will be a good blanket for a boy. 

10 Easy Steps

We had our current house built about 30 years ago. While we were waiting for the well to be dug, and the septic tank to be installed, we built a 8 X 12 foot shed. We lived onsite during the building process in a 22 foot fifth wheel trailer, and that shed was used as a "walk out" closet until we moved into the house. 

We purchased the shed as a "kit" from a now defunct hardware chain called Grossmans. The directions said EASY TO BUILD--ONLY 10 steps. We could do 10 steps. After starting the project we quickly discovered that each easy step had about 10 more steps embedded in it. The directions were not well written and oftentimes ambiguous. Nevertheless, we persevered and we created a cute 8 X 12 shed that served its purpose very well. 

However, it was never perfect. The door sagged and the flooring was flimsy plywood. About 5 years later we replaced the floor with 2x6 tongue and groove planks. Then a few years later we replaced the sides with metal as the plywood was rotting away. We replaced the sagging door with a pre-hung door. Then we replaced the roof. Then we replaced the back window. Along the way, we added insulation as it gets steaming hot inside during the summer. Over the years the shed has been transformed from plywood to metal, and each transformation has taken at least 10 "easy steps." This shed has never been "easy" to work on!

And right now the shed is getting yet another facelift. The trim pieces finally "bit" the dust during the summer. They were cooked beyond repair. You can see the damage! They needed to be replaced. 

Once again, we joked, only 10 easy steps. Because the sun caused so much damage, we decided to replace the trim with Hardie Plank. That's an engineered "wood" made from cement and wood chips. It won't rot or warp or split;  it can't be eaten by bugs, and it will withstand the sun. So 10 easy steps later we have replaced the trim. 

All we have to do now is caulk and paint...another 10 easy steps!

75 Years

Yesterday would have been my parents 75th anniversary. As kids, we celebrated their anniversary every year. It was a big deal; so when yesterday rolled around, my sister and I celebrated their special day by talking about old times. 

As an aside, my sister and I gave our parents a big 25th anniversary party. We had her wedding dress cleaned and it still fit. She was pretty proud of that! 

They were married 59 years before my mother passed away.  Their marriage was a success and it served as a model for my sister and I as we have been married a long time too. 

Drought Update

A few days ago, I took a picture of Lake Oroville, a local reservoir. It's important to note, that while this is a Northern California lake, the water is earmarked for Southern California. According to a Park Ranger, the Lake is down almost 300 feet. 

Look at the two narrow lines of houseboats at the bottom of the lake. In 'normal' times, the houseboats are placed more randomly..and there are more. 

Please go back to the May 19, 2015 entry on my blog, and look at the picture I took from the opposite side of the bridge railing. You can see how much the lower the Lake is in just a few months. There really is a drought in California. 

Another Sunset

In the previous picture, the same mountain looked like a volcano...as you can see, it's just a butte. The sky was on fire for just a few minutes. Sunsets are ephemeral. 

Volcano Sunset

No, it's not a volcano, it just looks like one. I fear it might be a harbinger for more heat. Since returning to CA in the fall, we have experienced higher temperatures than we did all summer in the Rockies. Now you know why we summer in the Rockies! 

One Score "Super Scrap Blanket"

I just finished the 20th blanket for this year. It's an unusual blanket. I've been trying out different patterns this year ... And this is definitely a different pattern. 

It's a star, that started off as a hexagon. It's made for a little person as its about 30 inches at the smallest dimension and 42 inches at the largest. It's very comfortable and cozy. A fun fact about the blanket is it's made from leftovers from several other blankets. I call it a "super scrap" blanket -- I don't like to waste yarn! (What can I say?!)