"The trick is growing up without growing older." - Casey Stengel

I favor tighter controls on who can buy guns and what kind of guns anyone can own, but I'm about fed up with the posturing coming from both sides. Additional national legislation will address changes that need to be made in light of things like no-fly lists and domestic violence. It's not like we don't have restrictions now, but those we have need to be updated, IMO. That said, none of the proposed laws would have stopped any of the recent mass killings. These crazies all could have purchased their guns under the new, proposed laws.

Today I talked with Charles and learned he plans on removing my trees. Until this conversation I didn't know if he was committed or not. Now, unless I hear from him about something I should be doing I just wait until about a month from now when the actual start date will be set.
I'm going to take before, during, and after pics from the same spot(s) on our front porch.

I need a clock for Fred, but I don't want a plastic $12 version from Target; it needs to be something consistent with Fred's character. I struck on an idea and the next day asked Dave, the old lumberman at the coffee shop, if he had any old saw blades. This morning he brought me this:

It's 12" in diameter and has the perfect amount of rust (patina). I looked online and I can get a battery powered mechanism, hands, and numbers for under $10. I think I'll just put 12, 3, 6, and 9 on, but the come as complete sets so I can decide that when they come. Black arabic, and very basic, simple hands.
Yep, I like it!

He also gave me a 9" blade that has fewer teeth but the same great patina. Anybody want a clock?

I read today about someone who just graduated from High School and is doing a gap year in Europe. If you're not familiar with that term it refers to taking a year between H.S. and college to travel and have a cross cultural experience. The Obama's daughter is also doing a gap year before entering Harvard. It's a fairly new trend and gaining steam.
It occurred to me this afternoon that I had an opportunity to do that at govt. expense when I graduated from Ballard High. Back then they would have sent me, all expenses paid, to Vietnam, and they'd have covered two years, not just one.

I got the walls up in the loft textured so tomorrow I'll paint. This evening we went in to Lowe's and I got some cedar fence boards that I'll use for the accent walls, a pretty cheap way to add interest.

Is it just me, or does traveling to Scotland to check on your golf courses suggest something less than a full focus on your presidential campaign?