Dan Antion

Too Hot and Too Tall – SoCS

The perfect lime wedge.
Bacon and corn chowder

When the temperature falls to 88°f (31°c) and you consider that “cooling off,” it’s been one of those weeks. The temperature alone wasn’t so bad, but on each day that I walked, at 6:30 am, the humidity was sitting at 99% – not exactly comfortable. In any case, we are at the bar today, trying to wash away the heat. While we’re at it, we’ll try to score some bonus points from Linda G. Hill who gave us the following Stream of Consciousness Saturday prompt”

“Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is ‘wash/awash.’ Use one, use both, use ’em any way you like. Bonus points for using both. Enjoy!”

If we were having a beer, you’d be hot.

“Good afternoon my young friend.”

“David, I know you’re a lot older than me, but I’m not exactly young.”

“You’re young at heart.”

“Well, so are you, but this is an old argument. We came here to relax.”

“I can help you with that, Dan?”

“Hi Cheryl. You can bring this old man a John Howell’s Special and shove a hunk of lime into a cold Corona for me.”

“I’ll be right back.”

“Thanks Dan. So, what have you been up to?”

“Avoiding the heat mostly.”

“No projects?”

“I’ve been doing a little bit of work in my shop.”

“Here you go guys. Bourbon, seltzer, ice, a cold beer, a lime wedge and three cherries.”

“Ahhh, perfection, Cheryl. Thanks.”

“You’re welcome, David.”

“Cheers Dan. When you say a ‘bit of work’ do you mean projects or perfecting your shop?”

“Ha! A little bit of both. The projects are nothing specific, mainly repairs, and the shop project is a little embarrassing.”

“Well, you know I want to hear about that one.”

“It has to do with my crane.”

“The crane you built on the rolling scaffold?”

“Yes. If you recall, it’s adjustable.”

“I wasn’t paying much attention when you explained. But, please, don’t take that to mean I want you to repeat everything. Can you sum this up quickly?”

“I can. The crane is adjustable. The height of the lifting platform defines the capacity of the crane when lifting a load between the ends.”

“Like when you’re lifting plywood out of your trailer?”

“Correct, David. See, you were paying attention.”

“Yes, well, admitting that seemed quicker than having you explain.”

“Anyway, after lifting plywood out of my trailer last year, I thought it would be easier to work with if the platform was higher. So, I raised it.”

“Mission accomplished. What was so embarrassing about that?”

“Um, I raised it in my new workshop. Then I realized, I can’t get it through the door back into the garage…”

“Where your trailer would be.”

“Exactly.”

“OK, that’s pretty funny. I know you probably don’t see the humor in it.”

“I try to see the humor in everything, David. In this case, I saw the opportunity to improve on the previous design.”

“Why not just raise the door?”

“That would be a lot of work. It’s much easier to lower the hoist.”

“I thought you just said you wanted to raise it?”

“OK, without going into details, The hoist is the electric mechanism that does the lifting. I am able to relocate it on the platform so it will pass under the door.”

“I think I follow. On a different subject, I understand we have a guest coming next week?”

“We do, Cee Neuner.”

“The woman who runs the challenge you participate in on Monday?”

“Not just that challenge, David. Cee keeps us awash in photographic challenges. In addition, she maintains a list of challenges all over the Internet.”

“Is Thursday Doors listed there?”

“Of course!”

“Well, I’m looking forward to meeting her.”

“I am too, Cee’s quite the photographer. You guys want another round? Maybe some food?”

“Another round will be good, Cheryl. The bacon corn chowder looks good.”

“Dan, it’s ninety degrees outside. You’re going to order chowder?”

“It’s not ninety degrees in here, David. Bacon – Corn – Chowder.”

“Make that another round and two bowls of chowder, Cheryl.”

I think it’s a carpenter bee, but we still like seeing them.
One of the smaller Rose of Sharon bushes
This bloom is on the oldest Rose of Sharon we have.
“You’re sure all this typing is worth it?”
Portulacaa
I found this guy trying to get in y wife’s car.
Hot and hazy already at 6:30 am
Another hot day
I like lines
I just need your picture for River
“I know you want to water stuff, but this grass is wet and I’m eating it for breakfast. Can you give me a few?”
That’s a big tree to climb
Walking early, the sun is much lower. Shining through our neighbor’s fence.
The hoist was hanging from that bar. Soon, it will be anchored where it sitting now.
Bees!
The sun is burning through the haze.


If you like magical realism with suspense, action and a bit of family sarcasm, you will enjoy these books:

Knuckleheads
The Evil You Choose
When Evil Chooses You

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78 comments

  1. It will make me feel better if I can ditto your hot and humid and the need to water. I smiled at your Rose of Sharon flowers because I was watering my 12″ plants a couple of times this week, but so far almost all are alive and well. You got some nice photos there, Dan, and having Cee visit is like having the Queen of Photography visit. That chowder looks mighty tasty. I hope when you’re done adjusting your machinery you will just post a before and an after shot. I’m visual. :-)

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • I will post before and after shots, Judy. I thought I might finish yesterday, but it got too hot in the shop. I thought we were going to get rain last night, but that didn’t happen.

      Stay cool and hydrated.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  3. Beautiful Rose of Sharon. They’re in full bloom here too. I like the photo of the sun shining through your neighbor’s fence. That bunny is just trying to grab a quick breakfast.

    I think MuMu is trying to tell you something Dan….like find somewhere else to type!

    Great shot of the grasshopper on the window and of you on the door!

    Old Glory looking mighty spiffy in the haze.

    Enjoy a fairly humid free weekend Dan.
    Ginger

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks Ginger. The bunny was so cute. I watched as he ate some of the wet grass. He looked like he didn’t want to move (not that I would have bothered him).

      It’s funny seeing how things looked a little different because I was walking an hour earlier. But when you can see the haze, you have to wonder if walking is a good idea.

      I thought about cropping myself out of that photo with the grasshopper, but what the heck. MuMu was encouraging me to work in my shop. She loves to sit in this window when I’m working, but she grumbles a lot, looks down and then gives me that “can’t you go somewhere else?” look. Cats.

      I hope you have a nice weekend. I didn’t finish my project, so I may venture back into the shop.

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  5. “Don’t take that to mean I want you to repeat everything” started me laughing. Any day that starts with proper coffee and snark has got to be good. Thank you! You have my sympathy and empathy on the heat. That early morning haze says it all; it’s like trying to breathe under water. Yet I think I could still manage that bacon-corn chowder.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • My shirt was soaked (not sweat) when I got home from those walks, Maureen. Yuck. The bartender keeps the bar on the cold side, so the chowder is always a nice treat. I hope you have a good weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  6. I seem to have trouble eating soup during the summer, I know the heat is all in my head when I’m here sitting in the AC. 🙄
    Glad to hear you’re still taking walks, Stephen King does the same and says it helps with his writing – You?

    Liked by 2 people

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    • I could skip the soup on a really hot day, GP, but I love corn chowder and they added bacon. I do sometimes work out story details in my head while walking. Once or twice, I’ve even sent myself an email from my phone so I didn’t forget something. This might be the only thing I have in common with Mr. King, but I’ll take it. It’s hard walking alone, but some days, it’s the only exercise I get.

      I hope you have a nice weekend.

      Liked by 1 person

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  8. I think Leonardo and Thomas Alva would be proud of your modifications to the crane. Let’s have another round and celebrate your ingenuity. And yes by all means some chowder. Happy Saturday Dan !

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. David does make me laugh–and nod in agreement with his comments about cutting to the chase. I can feel my anxiety start to rise when people (not you!!) feel the need to go on and on. And I don’t have panic attacks! But with them I do. 😉
    That little squirrel on that big tree and the light through the fence–great shots, Dan. Cee next week?! Yay!! Have a great weekend.

    Liked by 2 people

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  12. That’s funny about your project. But I’m sure it was a frustrating moment as well. That heat is just awful. I hope you get some relief soon. Thanks for the bees. We had a lot of carpenter bees in Georgia. They did a lot of damage to the wooden fence. I just saw my first bumble bee here around my fuschia. We have some of the tiniest bees I’ve ever seen around here. Looking forward to Cee’s visit next week! Try to stay cool. I’m sure that grasshopper was looking for an AC ride. 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • At this point, we’ll take any type of bee that shows up. At least these guys aren’t eating our house anymore. There are a bunch of little bees that also visit the bee balm, but they move too fast for me.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  14. “I try to see the humor in everything.” That’s an important skill, especially as we get older. I enjoyed the photos – great color and detail. I wonder if the mantis was trying to get into the car because it was cooler in there from a recent trip.

    Liked by 3 people

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  17. What a fun post, Dan. Sorry the hoist didn’t work the way you planned, but it was still a brilliant idea. I’m sure you’ll get it figured out. Love the photos. The one of the bee is stunning! I’m sure next week will be a ton of fun with Cee!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Thanks Jan. The hoist/crane works fine, but I built the wall after moving it into my shop. Kind of a Three Stooges moment. I’m looking forward to Cee’s visit.

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  19. Your story reminds me of my brother-in-law who erected a roof beam in his garage but set it through his ladder he was using . He considered cutting the ladder rung but ended up taking the beam out and doing it all over again .

    Liked by 1 person

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  22. My mother used to say that a hot cup of coffee on a hot summer day would cool her off. I did not understand it. At least it’s not 41°C (105.8 F) this week. It has been and it is coming again.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  23. Hi Dan, a fun heading for today’s post, and very apt too. There seems to be heatwaves everywhere right now, it is even hot hear and we are still in winter. The middle of winter really so it should be cold, but the trees are all coming into bud and the flowers are starting to bloom. I’m glad you thought of an innovative solution to your crane problem, but I would have guessed you could and would.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  26. I hope you don’t mind that I laughed at your too-tall platform. It’s easy to get so involved in a project that you miss the red flags waving all around. Sorry to hear about your continued hot weather… with more to come. I don’t drink beer often, but I think I would in those temps.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • I don’t mind the laughing. If you can’t laugh about things like this, you’re in trouble. I’ll reconfigure it and it will probably be better than it was. The heat is ramping up again this coming week. I don’t drink as much beer as it seems I do, but it is tempting. I hope you have a nice week.

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  31. Congrats on surviving through the heat wave. The haze on the flag photo tells it all. Your bunny photos are cute – they look familiar – distant relatives to some I’ve seen lately. 🤣 Way to figure out how to adjust the hoist. My favorite photo this week is one of you and your reflection in your wife’s car. So many fun details to look at. The green creature (‘cuz I’m not sure what it is!) looks like it’s trying to read the details on the window.
    Yay for having Cee at the bar next week. Early on when I started blogging I joined a lot of her photography challenges. She’s so kind, encouraging, and creative!

    Liked by 1 person

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