WORK AND PLAY

Ooofff I'm all a bit sore and tired. It a good sore and tired knowing I did at least one honest days work in my life and I have today off. Yesterday I spend 10 hours shoveling...well ok, 9 hours with an hour off for lunch. Four rooms were having concrete floors poured today at 7am, so we had to get them finished last night.
It took 6 of us till 8:30pm last night to get them level and compacted ready for the concrete. Everyone else had started at 7am that day, I started at 10:30am. Nepotism abuse and lots of Sangria the night before is my defense. Most of the day was shoveling cinders out of the rooms to create a flat level surface. If only less were delivered in the first place, it would have been so much easier, but thats hindsight and my shoulders are coming along nicely.


On Saturday we went to the Ren Faire. It was a hoot. Think Glebe Markets meets Rowany Festival. Its not a huge event and they couldn't hold it last year due to Fire Danger so its kinda starting again.
We borrowed costumes from the ex B&B of Ered Sul (Flagstaff), which was cool. It was fun to dress up again and swan about.


Lots of people in a good range of costumes and lots of weapons, clothes and crystal wizzards on sale. We watched the jousting, ate a Turkey "bigger than thy head" leg, helped Sam in her Quest and she received a scroll and a ring from the Queen on completion and got our face painted. Drunk from the roving keg, awesome idea, they had a huge keg on wheels selling two tasty local brews and Margaritas. Turned around and there they were ready to fill our cups.


The wierd thing was I kept thinking I recognised people, but it was just that SCA look that is universal throughtout time and space.


My wit and mockerating skillz have forsaken me. Did I mention 10 hours of shoveling?
So go and read Bad News Hughes Ren Faire action for a few laughs.

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FLAGSTAFF. YOU'RE OK

Have had a really nice week or so. Which has confirmed that I really like living here, despite it being here.
The weather has been beautiful. Warm days with cool nights. Its less than fun when the wind picks up blowing cinders and dust over everything but have only had a few days like that.

I've been working for Mike as Construction Monkey, getting a tan, muscles and bruises. Just for the record-Nail Gun Best Toy Expensive Serious Work Tool Ever. I really, really need to learn Spanish, I'm looking into the Community College thing. Half the people on the site are Mexican, and even the ones who aren't speak Spanglish half the time. Its kinda cool but I stand there looking blank.

Rob got a flat tire on his Mountain Bike, probably by running over a cactus at some point. So on Saturday afternoon we headed Downtown. We took Darwin with us to see how she would go. Flag is a very dog friendly town. Many of the shops have "Dog Friendly Store" signs and bowls of water out. Even the ones without the signs seem pretty cool with the idea. It took me a while not to stare when seeing dogs walking through shops because most everywhere else its not The Done Thing. Darwin was great, we wandered through several shops and through the streets, checking stuff out, meeting other dogs...cruising. Everyone thinks she is uber cute and go for many pats. We had lunch at this cafe/wine bar on the Square. They have a small fenced off outside area. Dogs aren't allowed inside the fence but we just sat next to it and tied her on the outside. The waitress brought her a bowl of water and I snuck her a few pieces of crostoni and salmon.

Who could not love that face?

We then headed across town to Bookmans, a huge used book/CD/DVD store, which also has free WiFi, Cafe, live music and welcomes dogs. Wandering through the stacks, dog leash in one hand, pile of murder mysteries in the other was a novel experience. Not the murder mystery bit at least. I have read so many in the last few months. I'm dreaming of Ian Rankin, P D James, Jeffery Deaver and Michael Connolly. I could start up my own profiling company or at least go on a serial killing spree. Need to get back into SciFi to give my poor brain a break.
Stocked up on more murder books and the cashier gave Darwin some dog treats.
I love the fact we can do this, we won't bring her every time but is good to know we can and that she is well behaved. I think its a good sign for the nature of the community.

Northern Arizona University mascot. They like to maintain he's a Lumberjack.

We had a rare Saturday night in and had pizza, chardonnay and WOW. It was fun I haven't been playing a huge amount but getting back into the geek groove.

Sunday we took Darwin for a big Mountain Bike ride. The forest near our house is full of trails of all types of terrain and toughness. Darwin sprints along and generally has a ball. I'm really enjoying the biking. I'm still a big woose on steep rocky paths, and will walk down some of them. After hurting my arm and spending 2 months in pain and not being able to use it much I'm still a bit wary.Gus, a happy dog

Sunday afternoon we went and played Ultimate Frizbee at the Uni. They struggle for numbers to get a game going every week. I suggested putting a ad in 'Live' the weekly free paper so we will see it that generates more interest.
It was a beautiful day and we ran around like crazy people for a hour or so. Its all very casual and nobody cares if it all goes pearshaped. One of the guys brought his dog Gus. Gus loves chasing and catching frizbees, and he is good at it. I took some photos cause he looked so happy and got a couple of him on the fly but they are at a distance still, pretty cute I thought.

Gus, Uber Frizbee Hound

Sunday night we had a BBQ and G&T's with the family. Robs dad broke out a 1976 Pinot, which despite being a bit young was bloody good.

1976. A good year. The world was my Super Dooper.

Monday night we went to a silent art auction and live music at the Wine Loft. It was to raise money for the yearly Book Festival. We bid on a few things but didn't win any which was totally fine. The Wine Loft is a great space and we are becoming locals there. Usually grab a bottle and attempt to smite each other at Mancala.

Downtown Flagstaff

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WE GOT A HOUSE..ALMOST LIKE GROWN UPS

A few months ago Mike came to us with A Cunning Plan. Was was about to start building two townhouses to sell once complete, and would we like one to do with what we will? Hey why not we said. Basically we are financing the construction and get a house at the end. It works for both parties. Mike doesn't have a huge bank loan and we don't have a mortgage.
After a few delays its started....woot!!

Cunning Plans

Its going to be 2 stories with a basement type room with The Rock. The rock is huge and we decided rather push it up the hill and get rid of it, it would stay to take up useful space but look all looming and eldritch. I plan to carve petroglyphs and twisting runes into its skin.

The Rock

The first floor will be a mud room, bat cave then into the kitchen and lounge room. Its fairly open plan and will overlook the mountain. Downstairs are the bedrooms. I get a ensuite...I've dreamt long of having a ensuite.
The fun and slightly daunting tasks will be the personal touches. I don't want much but my heart is set on funky bathroom sinks, and few accent tiles and wooden floors in the lounge room.
Then there is all the appliances and furniture, considering we don't even have a bookcase yet, I see mucho shopping in our future.
Real estate in Flag isn't cheap, so hopefully it will be a good investment when/if we decide to move and sell/rent it.

The View, our place on the left.

I am helping to build it. I quit my bar job because i wasn't earning any money and getting the lameo shifts. There is great potential to earn a lot of money here doing bar work from tips, but if there are no customers then $4 per hour doesn't stretch very far. I'm still looking for a better place but for now I'm a construction grunt. Last couple of days I have been lugging stuff up an down the site, using cool tools and generally being a lackey. Its kinda fun and I'm getting shovelers shoulders. Another week or two and I can put out my own calendar, need to get me a a leather tool belt first.

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EGGS WITH EYES

I have no idea how those CuteOverload peeps do it. Must nail the little bastards down.

STUFF AND THAT

Amanda sent me this link to the tigers. What amazing photos. Rob and I went to this Six Flags Water Park in '99. It was fun but what I mostly remember is the Tiger show. Seeing these huge animals drink out of a bottle and leap for sheer joy into the pool chasing stuff.
They look like what I want Aliens to look like, big cat people, how awesome would that be?


Least that photographer got want he wanted. Now we have the Darwin Fish and a Darwin Dog I tried to get them both together, cause I thought it would be kinda cute and that.
Our dog gets car sick...sheez...so she didn't want to come near the car, and was very confused about the whole thing. I even smeared the fish with dog food in the hopes of her licking it.
Never work with animals or animal children.

She did the 24 hour round trip to California with no problems, just the last month or so its been a problem. Put her in the back and she starts salivating ALOT....and sometimes throws up.
If I had Photoshop I could cunning splice them together and would you never know. As it is here are my two Darwins. She even has her name on the collar so she doesn't forget.


We went and saw Pirates 3. Much better than the second one and was pretty good. There is a scene after the long credits, I wouldn't bother waiting for it just IMDB it later. No action, no real tie ins for a 4th, which I can't see them making anyways. Next on my list is '28 Weeks Later', 'Shrek 3' and the Russian movie 'Day Watch' sequel to the awesome 'Night Watch', though It probably won't come to Flag.

I clicked on a link from Cuteoverload, about a missing husband. I thought it was real for a second or two because I could believe someone going online to get help on a crime. Anyway its a puzzle game, with clues emails and texted everyday for a week. The prize is $25000. If one person answers everything right they get the whole lot. If, as I suspect, elevenitymillion people get it right then my prize of $2.50 will be better than naught.

Everything here is pretty cool. Summer is on its way. Mountain biking the trails behind the house, great way to walk the dogs to boot. Looking for a new bar job cause the place I'm at is giving me all the crap shifts and I'm not making any money. Still volunteering, its puppy and kitten season so there are sooo many bundles of cuteness vying for attention.