Trestle Table and Benches

Here's a project we recently finished. The set features traditional through-tenon joinery and a curly maple table top with breadboard ends. Matt built the table and I made the two benches. I wanted to take the benches home -- they're just the right size to be used as coffee tables!

Robots Attack!

Get out and vote on Nov. 4th! (Unless you're lucky enough to have exercised that right and privilege already.) I promise my next post will NOT be political.

Alaska's Largest Newspaper Endorses Obama

Check it out.

The Anchorage Daily News.

(I tried to make that a link, but Blogger doesn't seem to be working correctly. You can read the story at: http://www.adn.com/opinion/story/567867.html)

Wouldn't it be fantastic if Alaska voted in majority for Obama next Tuesday? Talk about making history!

Zig-Zag-O-Lantern

The Halloween party was last night and we usually carve jack-o-lanterns for decoration. Since there's no smoking in the house, and it was raining, we set up a smoking area in the garage and I carved something special for all the boos and ghouls who smoke. I took this picture before the party started...
... and then left my camera and tripod in the garage. We had a great party and (as occasionally happens) I managed to enjoy myself so much that I completely forgot to go get my camera and take more pictures. D'OH! If I can find someone who snapped a shot of Michael and me in costume I'll post it later.

All Things Stripey

Friday morning, I was setting up my camera to take a picture of two cutting boards that I made. While I was adjusting the tripod and focusing, look who had to get in on the action...What a ham!
The cutting boards are cherry, maple & curly maple and walnut.

Colin Powell Endorses Barack Obama

Thank you, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, for being a voice of reason.



As the last weeks of the general election play out, it gives me hope to read things like this,
from Editor & Publisher:

NEW YORK The Los Angeles Times, breaking a decades-long policy of not endorsing any candidate for president, threw its support behind Barack Obama today. The editorial will appear in print this weekend, but went online this afternoon.

Just minutes later, the Chicago Tribune made an even more historic move, also backing Obama, its home state senator, and explaining: "This endorsement makes some history for the Chicago Tribune. This is the first time the newspaper has endorsed the Democratic Party's nominee for president." It said it was "proud" to make this choice, breaking a partisan policy that went back to the 19th century.

and this:

NEW YORK As chronicled by E&P in recent days, a, overwhelming trend from big city newspapers in editorial endorsements has favored Barack Obama with several papers that backed George W. Bush in 2004 switching over to the Democrat this year. But few expected that would happen deep in the heart of Texas.

Now it has, with the Houston Chronicle and Austin American Statesman coming out for Obama today. But Jophn McCain picked up one key endorsement today, gaining the GOP-leaning Columbus Dispatch in swing state Ohio.

The Austin and Houston moves, however, brings to at least 17 the number of papers that have made the switch. The Dallas Morning News and San Antonio Express-News did stick with the GOP candidate but he has lost papers all over the country, from the Chicago Tribune to the San Bernardino Sun, Denver Post, and New York Daily News.

Obama '08!

Getting Along

Look at this! A first! These three have never been this close to each other -- peacefully. Aawww... cute kitties, perhaps eventually we'll see them pig piling like a tangle of puppies. Of course, what we're really hoping for is three-way battle cats!

'Tis the Season

Political season, that is. Here's a message from Dr. Robert Newton, a lifelong Republican. The video is shot in Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party. He's voting for Barack Obama and so am I.

Spumoni Slice Cookies

Last weekend it continued to rain, so I continued to cook. Asian Noodle Salad, Gyros with Tatziki... and those cookies I was blogging about. The dough was softer than I anticipated and you can see that my layers didn't come out very even. I ended up dipping them in semi-sweet chocolate, which was a tasty variation. If I make these again, I'll do cherry, pistachio and vanilla dough instead -- and maybe after I dip them in chocolate I'll roll 'em in crushed hazelnuts or something similar.

I'm Showing My Age

Yep. The fact that I remember the Lawrence Welk show (We used to watch it at Grammy's house, right before Hee Haw.) certainly clues you to my Sell By Date! I went to the NBC/Saturday Night Live website to watch the VP Debate skit, saw this Lawrence Welk skit and almost wet myself! Something must be seriously wrong with my brain because this freakin' CRACKED ME UP! Maybe it's because I'm JUST old enough to remember these kind of family musical acts on TV variety shows. Maybe it's because I had a fluffy yellow dress as a little kid? Maybe it's because I've got sisters? Erica, after you watch this... I bet you'll be thinking what I was thinking! You cannot escape my mind control waves!