A better few weeks

We have been a little more productive the past few weeks but first a few things on JET's health.

The lump in his buttocks appears not to be anything cancerous as it increases and decreases in size, it might, however, need surgery at some point if it becomes very troublesome.

Secondly, his neurologist is going to try a different regimen which has proved to help in other patients with similar problems to his.  For nearly three years he has been having Rituximab infusions which is a chemo drug used for treating blood cancers.  The doctor wants JET to try 'targeted therapy' as opposed to chemo therapy.  It is still a drug used to treat blood cancers as it targets the B cells that produce the antibodies that are attacking him.  Will know more about that on 9th August.

Now a little on what we have been up to.

Firstly we aquired a junker camper for him to use as a hunting blind.  We have some work to do both inside and outside to make it functional but it will only ever be a blind so doesn't have to be  top notch.  It will stay here if we ever move and hopefully be a selling feature.  We just got that this week, the people getting rid of it were grateful for us to take it and even towed it to our place so a win win all round.

Secondly we made a table for my drill press.  My husband got a new router bit set for Father's day so he used some of the bits on shaping the legs and cross bars on it. We stained it and sealed it.  It is really way too fancy for the shop but that's what we made it for so that's what we are going to use it for.

The legs were routed with an ogee bit and the crossbars with a roundover bit

The table top is so pretty

We have been working on the deer feeder too.  Last year we had to take it down as the racoons were getting on it and in it to get the feed.  We cured them getting in it by screwing down the lid last year but then they hung of it and got the feed from the motor underneath that disperses the feed.  Little boogers!!!!!

We looked at cages but they are either not very functional or very expensive so we decided to make one.  We had an old stand up metal fan which the motor had stopped working on so we used the metal casing that goes around the fan for a top and a bottom and got some wire fencing we had and cut it to go around the outside.  Still working on it but it will be just the thing we need when finished.

The old fan casing was just the right size.  Still have to attach the top one but it has to be wire brushed first

Also, the design and assembly of the dust collection system is about done. Now JET is spray painting the sections and will glue it all together.  It has been quite the project but it is working efficiently now.

It's still really hot here, it's been like this for 9 weeks now.  I am pretty useless in this heat even after nearly 12 years of being here.  JET has to keep out of it too because extremes of heat and cold are very detrimental to his health so we have spent a lot of time indoors.  We do shop stuff first thing in the morning for a couple of hours then quit.

I think I have picked up a bug or something as I have been feeling pretty crappy the past couple of days.  Hope it goes away quickly.

We spent last weekend visiting with family.  JET's eldest son and grandson came to KC form NJ to watch a baseball game so we spent last Saturday and Sunday with them.  We didn't go to the game though as it was way too hot and the stairs in the stadium are difficult for us both so we came home and watched it on TV.  We saw the two of them too in a couple of spectator shots so that was exciting. More exciting than the game actually as the Royals got beat!

A blah week here at the homestead!

It has been a very uneventful week here this past week.  I did get out to mow one day and got all the areas close to the house done, that was a bonus.  We have had a fair bit of rain but it is still very hot and with the rain the humidity is way up.

I did a little leatherwork which I detailed in my other blog.

a little leatherwork

JET has been working on and cussing his computer a lot, he is trying to eliminate Microsoft and get Linux set up but it is quite a challenge.

We did a bit of work in the workshop on the dust collector but only early in the mornings as it gets too hot.

JET has discovered quite a large lump in his buttocks.  It has been there a while but has increased in size.  We originally thought it was a boil under the skin but it has not got a head and it is not red.  We will get it checked out on Tuesday when we are in Columbia to see the neurologist.

So, all in all, a blah week!

I really need to get out and mow!

We have had a lot of rain over the holiday weekend and the grass has grown so much!  The problem is in the morning it is too wet to mow and then it gets too hot.

This morning we worked in the shop a bit before it warmed right up, the dust collection system is nearing completion.  JET managed to get it set up so it has equal suction to all the tools.  It has been a very drawn out project because he just kept going at it until he got it to work how he wanted it to.  I would not have had the patience, I only like to do things once.

I am going to check out if it is suitable to mow later in the evening around 7.30pm when the sun has gone mostly down.

The trip away to spend time with family was very enjoyable.  We got a lot of chatting done, went out for some great meals, also ate some good food in the house.  The kids had a basement full of things like air hockey and a ping pong table to keep them occupied and the baby is adorable.

Been catching up with blogging and reading blogs and TV shows we recorded whilst away.

The 4th was a bit of a non event for us as we go to bed early and don't do fireworks.  The family had moved on to their next leg of their trip so it was just us and the dogs.