"As a child my family's menu consisted of two choices: take it or leave it." - Buddy Hackett

The Oregon primary is tomorrow, but voters have the option to vote early by mail, and Pam and I both chose to do that. This is a closed primary state, which means only those who registered in the Democratic or Republican parties can vote for candidates within that party. I asked her tonight who she voted for and it turns out it's the same Republican candidate I chose. We're both hoping to send a message to the party, probably a pointless attempt, but voting for the presumptive nominee is not something I can do unless I'm taking that pain med and more than a bit loopy.

Except for some touchup painting that I'll do tomorrow the lower level of Fred is complete! Now I can start with furnishings. I think the first step has to be a desk so that the bookshelves that will be attached to the wall to the right. George at the coffee shop has a piece he's going to give me that may make a cool desk. From his description it sounds like a beam made out of 2x4's laminated together. It's been sitting outside, so it's weathered (good), and he said the end that has been resting on the ground is rotted and will need to be cut off. He's not sure of the dimensions, so it may not work. In that case he said I can cut it up for firewood. He just wants it gone.

Another option is an old door with its weathered paint intact It would have to be one that could be cut down to size without looking like a hack job. Put a piece of glass over it and use the hole where the handle went as the means for getting cords and cables down to the outlet.
Or butcher block, which Lumber Liquidators now sells in a variety of lengths for kitchen countertops.
For any of these I'd make custom supports something like sawhorses to support either end in order to keep it looking open and lighter in what is, at 13'6" x 11'6" a small room.
Or, I might end up with something completely different. Whatever it is I think I want it to be a repurposed item of some kind.

We'll leave very early Wednesday morning and head up to Seattle to visit my folks. Google says it's a 5 hour drive but with a stop for gas and traffic through Portland and downtown Seattle it always turns into almost six. We want to be there around noon but we'll leave at 5 a.m. so there's time for breakfast in a great local joint in Harrisburg, an hour north of here. Think great BACON!
It's not a fun drive, but the time with the folks makes it well worthwhile.
We'll make the drive home Friday afternoon.

I got four or five paragraphs written this morning, which finished the first portion of this section on the Gospels. Felt good. I enjoy writing, the mental work of getting my teaching thoughts down on paper, a more precise effort than speaking them in front of faces that respond with "I get it," or "huh?"

That Buff Orpington still looks like she's within an hour of death. We're surprised every morning to see her still moving.