October 22, 1998
Dear Everyone:
Home Improvements II.
Just when you thought it was safe to go near the
hardware store
again...
I was having such success with improvements around
the old homestead that I decided to “fix” something else.
The patio gate, which is the way I usually come and go, has a
latch on the inside. To pull
the latch from the outside, you pull on a string that passes through a
hole drilled in the gate post.
I thought this could use some improvement.
When I was at the hardware store one time, I found
that they carried a nice selection of chain pulls for things like
ceiling fans and overhead lamps and such.
I thought one of these chains would work better than a piece of
string with a washer tied to the end of it.
It would also probably stand up better to the weather when winter
arrives.
So I bought a nice chain with a stone pull on the
end and some more chain to extend it so that it would be long enough to
pass through the gate post, which is about six inches thick.
Getting the chain through the hole wasn’t too difficult.
I just wrapped a long twister-tie around the end and used it like
a bodkin.
But when I got the chain on the latch side of the
post, I realized that there was no easy way to connect the chain to the
latch. Furthermore, I found
that the stone pull was heavy enough that the latch couldn’t fall shut
the way it’s supposed to do after you close the gate.
So now we’re back to a length of string with a washer tied to the
end of it and does anyone have a use for a really nice chain with a
stone pull on the end of it?
On a more positive note, my Project at work is
coming along nicely. I have
a list of about 44 people who are planning to attend.
We have one of the better conference rooms at Company Park, one
with a huge built-in screen in one wall which means that everyone will
be able to see the demonstrations easily.
I’ve made arrangements with Catering for coffee, tea, etc., in
the mornings and soft drinks in the afternoons.
Lunch time will be a free-for-all in the company
cafeteria.
About the only drawback to using the facilities at
Company Park is the geese.
The Park has a large “lake” to use as a backup source of water in
the event of a really bad fire.
A few years ago, a couple of geese who were migrating south
decided to stop at this nice “lake” for a bit.
They discovered that, not only is there a nice “lake”, but there
are plenty of lawns with lots of delicious bugs.
In short, they retired to Company Park.
No more of this going all the way to
Mexico for the winter.
Two geese are not too much of a problem.
Even a gosling isn’t a lot of trouble.
Only thing is: The
word has spread. There are
now over 100 geese who consider Company Park home.
In fact, they consider it “Geese Land”.
They’re very happy here.
The people in charge of the Park are very unhappy.
So far, they haven’t been able to think of a way to get rid of
the geese that wouldn’t be a public relations nightmare.
(“Do People chase geese off their property?
People Do.”)
So it will be, “Welcome to Geese Land.
Watch where you put your feet.”
Movies...
“Jeannie” and I
finally went to a movie last
weekend, at the newly remodeled theater near me.
We saw
Practical Magic,
which is about two very skinny young woman who happen to be witches.
Sandra
Bullock and
Nicole Kidman play the sisters.
One wants to be “normal”.
The other thinks “normal” is highly overrated.
They have differences of opinions and reconciliations.
But the real reason to see it is
Dianne Wiest and
Stockard
Channing who are a hoot as a couple of aunts (also witches) whose
best spell is a killer
margarita. They really
liven things up. Worth the
matinee admission. And the
popcorn was pretty good, too.
Love, as always,
Pete
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