Bits & Bobs

It was fairly cloudy (as forecast) this morning so I tried to read a book but couldn't hold still! So I made a little shoe rack out of the cornucopia of wood under the house. It holds six pair of shoes, maybe 4 if they're all Grant's. I'm quite pleased, even though it's something a competent 10 year old could probably do better.

Sooz took an inventory of our Cinderella paper bags, and found to our surprise there are only 37 left! It seems hard to believe we've gone through over 450 of them, but we have used the house quite a bit in the past year. I'm going to call Johan Monday morning and ask him to mail a batch.

I was also neglectful in mentioning my birthday gifts. Marcia and Rutger got me a cute bird carving and Marg & Janne provided me Swedish flash cards and a cool commemorative royal wedding mouse mat. I should also mention that my sweetie bought me an external 3G antenna for our internet connection, made in South Africa and imported by a company in Hull. A more deeply geeky gift would be hard to imagine. (EDIT: Actually, there is. I've been dropping Sooz hints the past few birthdays about one of these to no avail.)

She and Grant also attempted to update my style by providing a pair of trendy Paul Smith jeans. They're a little tighter and lower than I'm used to, but that's the point I suppose. Jury's still out.

We had some dark clouds and thunder around noon but it's clearing up now, so I can resume my work with the chain saw!

An oxymoron

is a phrase that contradicts itself. "Military Intelligence" is an example, as is "Jumbo Shrimp". You can find lots more here.

Another oxymoron is "minor chainsaw accident". I had one of those when on Aspö recently.

Rutger let me use his saw after some instruction, and I was wearing my glasses and ear protection like a good boy. I had cut a branch, and it unexpectedly fell towards me. I pulled away, turning to the left, and I felt the saw make contact with my left thigh.

I looked down and saw a nice jagged gash in my jeans, but felt only a small sensation in my leg. For a hot second there, I figured I had really cut myself and braced myself for the pain to kick in and the blood to casacade out.

Fortunately, neither happened. I dropped my trou and saw that I had luckily only scratched myself a tiny bit. Mind you, there was enough blood for Rutger to become queasy and run to Claes for a first aid kit.

However, I was only a half-inch or a half-second away from doing something really nasty to myself. Besides freaking out Rutger slightly, I'm sure I disappointed Janne, who is very professional and serious in his work. Here I go, nearly slicing my leg off first chance I get!!!

Needless to say, Rutger did the rest of the chainsaw work for the day, and I am sure Janne will restrict me to hand tools for the time being. Perhaps for the best.

And note to self: buy a decent first-aid kit and bring it along on my next trip.

Rutger's Chainsaw Massacre

I have had a number of requests (really just one from my mother) for footage of Rutger and his work with his chainsaw. So here you go, mom, a little video of the man in action!

Perhaps other readers will enjoy the spectacle as well...