Awww jeez...

I knew it was going to happen, but I wish it would have taken longer than 2 1/2 months! I lost my engagement ring already....

I had put it down on a big boulder while I went swimming in the lake below where I work. When I went to pick up my clothes, I forgot my ring was on top of them, and the ring went flying - right into a large crevasse between the rocks. D'oh! I couldn't see it down there, nor was my arm long enough to reach it down there even if I could.

At least the ring was kind of cheap. I specifically picked out one that I wouldn't mind loosing too much, because I knew it was going to happen eventually. Maybe I should just paint one on so I never loose it....

Rowing

Yesterday I had my 2nd rowing lesson. We've been practising on the rowing machines to get our form down, and yesterday they actually let us loose on the water.

I was the zippiest one there, so they let me take an extra lap around the lake while everybody else was floundering. Two of the people got stuck in the trees on the opposite shore and had to have a kayak sent over to rescue them. One guy flipped over and bailed. I almost was run over by a quad boat, and in turn almost ran over one of the other girls in the class. Fun!

Next week we'll probably all be cleared to take the boats out on our own whenever we want. Look out, Town Lake!

I'll hopefully be getting a lot of rowing in (Sculling, really) this summer. Two of the guys from work are rowing at the same dock. I'm hoping for a little friendly competition ... go go gadget legs...!

New Stuff

I guess I've been slacking in the blog department, yet again! Mom keeps pestering me to update, and I keep telling her nothing's new. :-)

I did get engaged a month ago. We're planning an October wedding here in Austin.

I also just joined a CSA. It's a farm 5 miles from here that's only in its 3rd year, yet has 300 members! We got our first box of produce yesterday. Lots of yummy tomatoes, eggplants, okra, squash, cucumbers, basil and onions.

My own garden isn't looking so hot. It needs lots more organic matter...I need to go out looking for horse manure. Trimming the overhanging tree out back would help a lot too.

I'm still working as a carpenter on the same house I wrote about previously. We're installing masaranduba siding, and taking forever.... the siding should be done in another 6 weeks or so. Hopefully there will be some scraps left so I can re-wood my truck bed.

Mom is in the hospital

I tried to break into mom's blog, but the password she gave me doesn't work. She's too loopy to figure out what it really is, so I'm posting the news over here on my blog instead. Hopefully all you people who read her life will wander over here and figure it out.

Mom has been admitted to the hospital in Lakeland. She's been having strokes. The doctors don't know anything other than that yet. I'll post updates if there are any. She asks that you all pray for her.

Fiesta Parade

Last night Luke and I went to San Antonio with his parents to see the Fiesta Flambeau Parade. http://www.fiesta-sa.org/

Crazy!

New Pics

These were taken by Rebecca Sikes... Her website at http://www.flickr.com/photos/rsikesphotography/

My new Truck

So, I bought a truck last weekend.... It's adorable! It's a 1971 Chevy c10 stepside, with an oak strip bed and curvy wheelwells, just like I've always wanted.


It's almost entirely stock, including the original 250 inline 6 engine. Most of the parts are new/rebuilt. There are only two spots of rust I need to worry about, and the entire panel one of them is on can be replaced for $17.99.








I replaced an exhaust flange gasket the other day. It cost $2.18 and fit all Chevy/GMC models from 1937-1987.

The only thing wrong with it that I know of is the throwout bearing in the clutch. While I'm under there with the transmission and driveshaft dropped to fix it, I'll just replace the whole clutch. (It'll need it sooner rather than later). A complete clutch kit cost $155. The shop down the road had two of them in stock.


My van was a big hit with women and small children. Now that I have this truck, I'm a huge hit with the men, especially guys who are old enough to have driven a 70's era truck back in the day.

I'm going to paint and reupholster, and redo the wood in the bed. I'm hoping for enough leftover massaranduba from the jobsite to use for the bed. Nothing like Brazilian hardwood to make it look pretty. :-)

Climbing

It's been gorgeous lately, with lots of good rock climbing opportunities! This weekend is supposed to just be totally yucky though, with highs in the 30's. What are we going to do for fun and excitement?

I only have my closet left to do, then the floor is finished! Then it's time to paint and attach baseboards.... :-)

While taking a break from the flooring, I found an interesting blog:   http://www.foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com

Climbing

We went rock climbing at a local ranch this weekend, and poked around this interesting cave. 

I managed to get up a 5.10D rated climb, my hardest yet. Woo!

This picture is from our hallway. I've been busy installing bamboo flooring throughout the entire house...

What I did on the weekend

Port Aransas

A recent still life we stumbled upon...

My job

My jobsite.

Raising the structural insulated panel (SIP) walls into place on the 2nd story.

Making adjustments to the wall before stapling it into place.

Luke and Tommy

Luke gives Tommy a little aid on a tough bouldering problem... :-)

This is the climb (Called Motorboat) that ate my ankle on Saturday. This photo was taken by Merrick Ales, website at: http://www.merrickales.com/

I took today off of work to let my foot more fully recover. It's driving me up a wall to sit at home! I've been being a good patient though, keeping my foot elevated, my ankle wrapped up, and a steady stream of ibuprofen running through me.

Today would have been sucky to work anyway - a cold front blew in last night. It's in the low 50's, raining, and the wind is gusting to 40mph.

I'm excited to work tomorrow - I'll finally be able to wear pants!

Granite Gripper

I came home from work one day to find that Luke had entered me into the Granite Gripper, a local climbing competition. The comp is at Enchanted Rock, a park about 1 1/2 hours from here.

We went out this Saturday to compete, and I had a blast! I was climbing with a 9 year old girl who had been climbing twice before. (I've only been climbing for three months, about one day a week.)

We did a few 5.9's and one 5.10, before I got my foot stuck in a crack and tweaked it a little too much. I ended hobbling out, one route shy of making the minimum number of routes required for the comp. The trip out took 1 1/2 hours, the trip in had only taken 30 minutes or so. OWIE!

The 9 year old did one more 5.9 route, and ended up with 2nd place in the women's beginner division. Yay! Though I was one route (about 10 points) shy of getting in my minimum routes required, I wsa only 2 points behind the 3rd place winner. Next year....

And so I'm spending this Sunday with my ankle wrapped up and elevated, sitting around at home. I just finished reading The Sex Lives Of Cannibals , and started reading World Without End. Hopefully my foot feels better by tomorrow, so I can go back to work.

My life this week

I have a job as a carpenter again, woohooooo!!! My last day at the bakery was on Friday, and the first day at my new job was Monday. Today marks a week at my new job. I really love it. :-)

The rest of my life is going pretty swimmingly, too. I've been rock climbing/swimming/doing housey things on the weekends. The garden I planted out back is doing really well.

Luke and I have been painting the house lately. The bedroom is a deep blue, the hallways a chocolate brown, and the living room is a sage green. We haven't figured out what color to do the bathrooms yet...

Mormons

Mormons...Exposed! In a good way, :-)

http://www.mormonsexposed.com/

What's new

So, I gave my 2 week notice at the bakery today. I don't have a job lined up yet, but something should come down the pike soon.

Every week for a long time now, I kept telling myself that I'd quit next week, when I was in a better position to do so. Being in a better position hadn't happened yet, so I decided to jump now rather than wait for the perfect time that will never come.

I want to get back into carpentry again, preferably as the apprentice to some sweet but meticulous old guy who's been a carpenter for years and wants to impart all of his knowledge on a young whippersnapper like me.

If you know of this mythical guy, or any other interesting carpentry opportunities in the Austin, TX area, drop me a line at Heather.Martin@gmail.com

Labor Day

Luke and I went to his parent's ranch for Labor day weekend. His mom took some pictures of us. Awwww, how cute!