Monday, January 31, 2011

weird shit goes down in congress...


lovely pieces of turned claro walnut and claro blanks
lovely bottle of bourbon too

on this day...

one the day that should mark my final round of golf for the month
it's raining at 7:40 am 
and I've got a painting job to do

nevertheless...
I'm bringing my clubs

*added*
and played
it was windy

Friday, January 28, 2011

we want this

badly...




the question remains...
where and how?

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Monday, January 24, 2011

oh happy day!


vs


in the super bowl!
what a classic old school smash-mouth matchup
like the odds makers I give the packers a slight edge
but I'd be lying if I said the steelers don't scare me...


notice the lombardi trophy in the background?
I didn't think so

Sunday, January 23, 2011

I hate birds

I've said it before and I'll say it again
but...

I live amongst a series of lakes or more accurately ponds
that are also among other things a bird sanctuary of sorts
which means there are a helluva lotta birds out there

and lately, I've been interested in trying to identify them all
despite being decidedly anti-bird I own at least three bird field guides
and a couple pairs of binoculars

yesterday I identified a small black and white wading bird
the black shouldered stilt
there's another I have to get a closer look at

then there's this little fella who spends a lotta time on my backyard fence



oh...championship sunday picks - green bay over chicago
and much as I love the jets I've gotta go w/ the roethlesberger factor and take the steelers
which is contrary to my earlier pick...we'll see and enjoy every minute of it

Friday, January 21, 2011

because I have nothing else to write about...

turned these reel seat inserts the other day
ebony (left) bubinga (right)

Thursday, January 20, 2011

well yes then we have been working...

I have been doing time in the shoppe
busy making one helluva mess
which I intend to clean up this morning
ebony sawdust is some feisty nasty shit
I was blowing black dusty snot out my nose all day yesterday

hopefully this afternoon (or tomorrow) I'll be making curls
(it'll be happening again soon)
or playing golf
golf swing needs work again
gotamit

*addenda*  I absolutely pulverized the ball today
not particularly a long hitter
but I was keeping w/in pacing distance of billy and big john
both of whom are L - O - N - G
it was fun and as usual in this silly fickle game
the swing was fairly solid
still needs work though
maybe saturday who knows?

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

meanwhile back in washington, dc...

home of the feral government
or congress, az...
my home away from home

the more things change the more they stay the same
rush has a song where they sing that in french
perhaps because they're canadian...

let me tell ya what happened

"are you getting up daffy duck?"
my wife asks as I shake the cobwebs inside my head clear
it never works

apparently I was overhung somehow
>15 beers a half dozen shots of whikky will do that to ya
half dozen tokes of hash as well...shhhh!
fly fishing's ugly secret raises its head again

welomed a cub into the az cane rodbuilding society
and he stepped into grad school
both feet first and didn't even pinch his nose
though perhaps he should have
or his ears

I talked a lotta shit
not shit talking but shit quality

we turned up some truly lovely pieces of claro walnut
I think shaxy's gonna give it the tru-oil loving

this morning once I found my whikky and hash I turnt a couple pieces
generic brazilian and bubinga

still gotta bring the bubinga down to size
it has nice potential though

sorry no pics
forgot my camera on the gov't floor
got distracted about getting a weed card or something

wheres's my weed card?


Sunday, January 16, 2011

project rod

actually we had another visitor to ye olde rod shoppe yesterday morning
a gentleman and his wife from wisconsin dropped by to show me an old bamboo rod he had
I determined that it could be refinished and result in a serviceable fishing pole

I will prolly cut off the guides and strip away the varnish clean and polish grip ferrules and reelseat
this afternoon

the rod as received...




more to follow as work on the rod progresses...

wraps cut off


guides strap and ring hookkeeper and red agatine stripper


grip cleaned up and varnish stripped


close up


spey saturday

yesterday the olde rod shoppe saw a visitor
I got an email a while back from a guy wondering if he could use my diptube
I said sure

he showed up w/ a bamboo spey rod
w/ spliced ferrules which are to be taped together to fish
WTF?

I'm very curious about how that's gonna work out and hope it does


he brought beer
good beer


inspecting his handiwork


these pcs barely fit into the drying cabinet

hey perry I checked on them this morning and they are looking good

Saturday, January 15, 2011

mad river or bust

this announcement may be premature
BUT...
I got the okay from swmbo this evening

more to follow

Friday, January 14, 2011

playoff post


I picked up this t-shirt Christmas evening during our white elephant gift exchange
I like everything about it - color - design and most of all the restaurant
it is a very busy little hole in the wall on 38th street and indian school
sliders are the signature dish I guess, but there is so much on the menu that I want to try
nevertheless I always end up grabbing a couple sliders and a chili cheese dog and a budweiser
they even have brats as a special twice a week and you  can't beat that w/ a stick

unfortunately  I no longer live nearby though my mom, brother and sister do...
anyways, if I could that's where I'd be getting my weekend football grub

segueing to...this weekend's playoff predictions
after perfectly picking last week's games, this round is a little tougher

toughest game of the week to pick and prolly play...
I see the steelers over the ravens, despite the ravens being one of my favorite teams
I'll be rooting for them, but all the intangibles point to pittsburgh

my big game of the week - packers over falcons
falcons barely won week 12 despite near perfection from ryan and >100 yds from turner
again, I enjoy watching the falcons play, but I'm afraid I bleed green and gold baby

bears over seahawks - the cinderella run is over
UNLESS...seachix d can get steady pressure on cutler and rattle his fragile mental constitution
forcing oh let's say four turnovers
which is actually something I'd rather enjoy seeing
we hate the bears

is anyone picking the jets over the patriots?
not me even though it means again picking against one of my favorite teams
I'd sure like to see LT go for >100, but I don't think sanchez quite has what it takes
and no one is better prepared for this kinda game than the patriots

back to food...
made chicken and dumplings last night

mise en place


finished dish
it was delightful and I'm fixing to have a bowl once I sign off hear...

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

bird fighting fish

they've drastically lowered the level of my backyard lakes
exposing some very interesting structure
undercut banks beneath the reedbeds
a perfect place for grampa bucketmouth to lurk
awaiting prey

though that's not what I want to type about...

yesterday I was fortunate enough to watch a heron hunt for about half an hour
every two to three steps his head and very shark beak would stab slash and swallow
it was cool

then this morning I saw a fairly large fish flash on two small birds
robins?  I dunno...

anyways I wrote down the phrase "bird fighting fish"
googled and image searched it 
and came across these two cool images...



*update*  wow - turns out this post/pic was rather prescient
I just watched one heron chase another off his turf on the backyard bass pond
pretty fuggin' cool

Monday, January 10, 2011

bcs championship game

after going 4-0 predicting the nfl wildcard games
I suppose I should offer up my take on this fiasco

while everyone involved in the bcs is busy patting themselves on the back
for finally getting the matchup of undefeated teams
where does that leave the tcu horned frogs?
a clear cut #2?
co-champion?
nosireebob

but that's not even my problem w/ it
my problem is this...college football should be finished for the year
on new years day just like it used to be
not on january 10th...
the big four or five since the fiesta bowl snuck in the back door
have been relegated to virtual irrelevance 
by this stupid national championship game
which in years past has barely determined a TRUE
national champion
in short leaving it no better than what we had
w/ the cotton bowl gator bowl sugar bowl rose bowl and orange bowl
I'll throw the peach bowl in there as well since I miss it
I like knowing how things played out and seeing the final poll on january 2
and turning my attention to the nfl playoffs
where it should be and currently is

and really now while we're at it shouldn't this bcs championship game have a stupid corporate sponsor attached to it since almost all the others do?
I'd suggest a feminine hygiene product...
the summer's eve douche bcs championship bowl

on to my prediction...
this game will not be as high scoring or as close as everyone thinks
31-24


and yes I prefer sec football to pac 10 football
auburn's defense is vulnerable

good night college football
until next year

they'll never get this thing straightened out

Saturday, January 8, 2011

weekend

*turns out we blew off playing golf
in all honesty I was leaning in that direction anyways
my hands and fingertips are a mess and very very sore
and I believe my muscles could use the break
my metal side too

five consecutive daze ain't too shabby either*

wow
yeah
today will be the sixth consecutive day that I play golf
five competitive rounds
and one pretty extensive session at the driving range
three new clubs

yesterday I threw the newish cobra irons back in the bag
today I took them out and fell back to the callaways
although it looks like I may be playing today w/  a set of adams
which I'm kind of looking forward to

I guess I'll miss the seahawks/saints game but I'll dvr it
just in case the mother of all upsets occurs
the better game is this evening anyways

totally unrelated but...
a wrapping shot

Thursday, January 6, 2011

whoa nellie this little fucker wrock


originally I thought that this was a frivolous purchase
until I plugged in and cranked it up

kinda unnecessary since I've got the big amp wrocking the rod shoppe 
and another in the living room
but I hate listening to music on headphones or earbuds

now I just gotta finda place for it
it is a little bitty thing with a big big sound

oh - that's little steven - justice playing

wood


they chopped down a couple gigantic eucalyptus trees near my brother's backyard
I helped myself to a couple scraps

I'm curious as to how these will turn down for reel seat spacers

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

kickin' one hunnert million acres of wilderness ass


who'd have ever thought punk rock played in a stadium could sound so fucking good?
it does
and now you know

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ftpq6h


get some it's great



Monday, January 3, 2011

really now...you may not know this

but it's really fucking hard to lower yer handicap when yer golf game fucking
STINKS OUT LOUD!

I need to get my shit together

I'd also like to shake the lethargy that's seized me since the holidaze
pick up the plane and make some 2011 curls already
damn

not today though
today I try again to find that gotam golf swing which has gone missing

Sunday, January 2, 2011

resolutions

I don't make them
there are so many things that I could resolve to do
only to let myself down when I fail to follow through on any of them
so I don't bother

on the other hand I could make a handful of self-serving and indulgent ones
but that's contrary to the nature of the damn thing
of course I want to golf more and lower my handicap
(as if three rounds a week isn't enough)
or go out and fish more
who doesn't want that?

nevertheless I intend to do just those things
just without resolving to do so
thus revealing what a selfish and self-centered bastard I truly am
whoopsie!
I guess I just did that

I do want to continue to do whatever I can to help my friends and family
and gift a few lucky folks w/ a nice fishing pole
do what I can to become a better husband
a better cook
expand my palate and repertoire of techniques
fix one more meal a week
pleasing my wife coming home from work 
to a home cooked meal w/ the enticing aroma that entails

my walk w/ Christ is always a struggle
necessary as it is to my growth as a man and a Christian
forgiveness is in my nature
though my vices are always a battle
(if you know me you know what I'm talking about)

having said that 
I should smoke less drink less stop cussing work harder and more often
spend less exercise more make better choices and decisions
indulge the wife instead of myself
watch less football and golf on tv
do more to serve the Lord
and follow so many other paths to improve myself

yet to resolve to do so is to set myself up for failure
and I won't do that
but apparently I know what I need to do

Saturday, January 1, 2011

new year's day - rose bowl edition



nuff said

well the bad guys (and better team on this day) won
kudos to the horned frogs well done
and congrats on an undefeated season