If you didn’t already know, some time back Cali ate our sofa. Finally, it’s out with the old, in with the new.

Yesterday the guys from 1-800-Got-Junk came out and removed our old monster of a sofa (or what remained of it). I recommend them highly — professional, hard-working friendly.

Here’s the old:

Mmm... sofa. Nom nom nom...

This morning Home Comfort delivered our new sofa and loveseat — the first real furniture we’ve purchased in a very, very long time.

Here’s the new:

What a difference!

The yellow ottoman in the middle is simply a placeholder for a future coffee table. In any case, it’s a big difference!

Blue in the face?
Clowning around?
Having a ball?

It’s the end of our last evening of this trip her in NYC. We’re all tired tonight but revitalized in the greater sense in mind and spirit (body will have to wait until we get away from the many temptations of this city).

I’m returning with a whole list of ideas for fresh projects to explore – some sooner, some later.

For now, though, my rather steampunk chronograph informs me that now it is time to retire for the evening, so I leave you with this image of Times Square.

We’re out at Vintage in NYC where I am sipping on a Vesper — a.k.a. the James Bond Martini. It’s one of the best and most gentlemanly drinks I have ever encountered.

The origin of the Vesper is the 1953 novel Casino Royale in which Bond explicitly describes the drink to his waiter. What a perfect drink!

After not wearing a watch for many years I couldn’t pass up this rather one with its combination of high tech features (stop watch with splits) and old school style. Found it on sale at the Swatch store of all places.

It’s been a very rainy day in the Big Apple today, but the city doesn’t seem to notice one bit. The streets and stores are packed with people looking their fashionable best. Back home a rainy day seems to be an excuse for wearing your rattiest sweats and hunkering down.

Today had mostly been a shopping day. I’m particularly keen to clear out half my closet — it’s full of worn-out, outdated, and ill-fitting clothes (some of which are about as old as my teenage daughter).

We’ll head back out later tonight to find a restaurant showing the game. GO HEELS!!!

Cleopatra’s Needle: the oldest man-made object in Central Park.

I’d previously seen the ones in Paris and London but did not realize one was right here. I guess I should now visit the one still in Egypt.

Just landed in New York where we’ve brought no laptops for the first time on years. iPhones only.

Mine’s loaded with everything I think I might need. We’ll see how well it works.

Note: this is my fifth attempt to post this due to a bug on the WordPress app. Inauspicious start!

You learn more from your failures than you can ever hope to learn from your successes.

In that spirit, here is what Ariel and I “made” last night:

Klingon Torture Tool or U.S. Penny Counter? You decide.

We took the Safety and Basic Usage class for the vertical milling machine. The project was to make a 50 coin “penny counter”. We needed one more pass of the tool down the length of the counter, but one of the instructors changed the gear the mill was in from low to high — which changes the direction of rotation for the tool (a fact that got overlooked). Instead of cutting through, it just mushed it up.

It’s all OK, though… we learned a lot about the operation of the machine, troubleshooting a loose cutter, and the early warning signs of a bad cut.  We wouldn’t have gained nearly as much if the class had gone smoothly.

Next up I need the Basic Shop SBU, then I’ll be able to do most of the stuff that interests me in metalwork with the exception of the lathe (which is a low priority for me right now).  I’ll be able to mill parts, use all the basic cutters and grinders, and then weld things together.

Another AMAZING weekend!

I had a long list of Things I Wanted To Do this weekend. I’m thrilled by the number of them that are DONE. The painting in the great room? Done except for removing some tape (have to let the paint cure) and rehanging artwork. Welding class for three? Done — and my girls proved themselves very capable (I didn’t do so badly myself, but my girls ROCK!). Reformatting my computer to do a clean install of Ubuntu Linux (Jaunty Jackalope beta)? Done — with all my home automation software transferred over and up and running again.  I even got to try a new pub last night! (I have to say, though, there is still more I want to do, but I’m about out of weekend.)

Here’s my daughter with welding torch in hand.  My girls are soooo cool!

Fear My Offspring: She welds at 2,500 degrees

I also have to add that our instructor at TechShop (James Short) was truly marvelous.  If you are local to the Triangle but not looking to join TechShop (why wouldn’t you though?), you can still take courses there for $30/hour.  I highly recommend them.  Of course, members can then come back and practice welding as much as they want at no extra charge.

Oh, the Heels are currently CRUSHING Oklahoma (UPDATE:  CRUSHED!!!) and my girls are cooking up something delicious for dinner.  Life is GOOD.