Just because nobody in their right mind would wear it doesn't make it hip.

Up at 5, loaded all the necessary tools and materials into the Kia, and headed off to b'fast. No time for a bike ride today. Great time talking shop with Josh W. and Casey, the intern spending six months at Josh's church. Casey is in the process of writing his papers for licensing, and will go through oral exams in April. So part of our conversation involved a mock questioning like he'll get in front of the panels, pressing him on some theological issues.
I get too much pleasure out of that. Must be the sadist in me.

Josh and I usually have our monthly shop-talk b'fasts at Paradise Bakery - a bagel and coffee - but at Josh's suggestion we met at "The Place" on 51st and Bell. We arrived before most of the morning crowd, so only about eight of the tables were occupied. That small group of patrons reminded me of one of the joints more typical of what we had in west Michigan - a collection of good ol' boys all wearing denim, and caps over wrinkled and weathered faces. Think: The Galley on Kenowa Ave. Large helpings, strong coffee with refills before your cup is half empty, and absolutely no pretense anywhere.

From b'fast to the house in central Phoenix. I arrived at 8:45 and left at 2:45.

The shoe molding was reattached in no time.

The Moen kitchen faucet was every bit of the challenge I expected it to be, but thankfully the cartridge directions included an 800 number for help. She said yes, that plastic part is supposed to unscrew, no, the brass portion should not turn at the same time, and yes, I was right to avoid cranking on the plastic part for fear of breaking the brass portion. She suggested a way to anchor the brass core while I turned the plastic cap and after a few tries..."Thank you! It's off." An hour spent on what should have taken 15 minutes. But the water here is so hard, so laden with minerals, that faucet parts quickly bind together.

The gate repair went surprisingly smoothly.
Attaching the bracket to the patio ceiling went fine too, it just took time. I had to work very deliberately, measuring, drilling and cutting carefully. I figured he didn't want his ceiling looking like Swiss cheese because I drilled holes in the wrong place. By shortly after noon the TV was attached to the bracket and positioned like he wanted. (He was home for lunch so I could adjust it to his preferences.)

The day's big headache was the task I thought would be the easiest - attaching a shelf system to the patio wall to hold the cable box and DVD player. Long story short, he bought this thing off the internet and it was worth half of whatever he paid for it. It's up, and it won't fall down, but it also isn't stable or pretty. And if he ever does take it off he'll see the stucco back there does look like Swiss Cheese. Oh well. He understood the issues.

For cooks who might otherwise consider it, do NOT use Orzo pasta. Small, slimy and gross. I'm not sure why they call it pasta because it has no similarity to any other form I've ever had.
Blech!!

Today I read an interesting article in WORLD Magazine on a young earth view as it relates to the Grand Canyon. Enlightening.

On paper I have a very good team. Phillip Rivers, Larry Fitzgerald, Beanie Wells, Kellen Winslow. S.F's D, ....
So why am I in last place after the first week of games, with only 52 points?
Alas, games are played on the field, not on paper.
There's a sermon illustration in there someplace. Now I have to find a sermon to go with it.

I ate the stir fry stuff off the top of the Orzo pasta, so I'm still HUNGRY!!
In-n-Out?