The great evaporating summer

I looked at the calendar today and was shock to see that it's August.  Summer dashes by at a breakneck pace, doubly so when you're busy.

We spent a week up north just in time for War of 1812 celebrations at Fort St Joseph.  This fancy American tall ship stopped by to exchange cannon fire with the for while we were there.  Unfortunately the Fort was behind schedule, did not fire its cannon at the appointed time and the ship tacked back across the bay without firing a shot.

We spent some time on two lakes.  Lake Huron and Big Basswood Lake.  Here the kids are enjoying a cool dip on a very hot day.

The lovely Willow was content to spend her day looking beautiful on the dock.

The boy decided it was time for his first round of golf.

He did quite well and now it looks like the most economical plan for next year might be a membership at a nearby club.

The building project nears completion.

The upstairs, now insulated and drywalled, was a beautiful exercise in builder's geometry.  Look at those angles.

The exterior is almost done...

And the office now has a floor.

Good thing, too.  My office gnomes are getting a little antsy for the move...

...and moving on...

Lots going on so let's get right into it.

Here we are on the last day of school.  This afternoon my two kids will climb off the bus with sadness in their eyes and the bitter realization that their dad is unprepared to do anything at all interesting with them this summer.  No doubt their old man will figure something out.

The building project - continues...

When last we left the garage/office project it looked like this:

A simple, albeit expensive, slab of concrete in the side yard. In a short span of time walls were constructed and piled on top of each other like an elaborate 3D puzzle:

On a day where I left the house to supervise my daughter's class poetry reading at a local shopping mall (a story in itself) with the walls exactly as above, I returned to this:

Walls - glorious walls.  Things were beginning to take shape.  A splash of the first coat of paint didn't hurt, either:

Then the humble start of the second floor:

Rafters and dormers came next:

As I type today, I hear the sound of hammers as shingles are added to the structure.  Here's a shot from yesterday:

But the building project is only one of many events this month.  Sadly, the Tinkmobile is no more...

You DO remember the Tinkmobile - that horrible two-toned car we bought to see us through a season or two?

After many seasons and one too many repairs, the Tinkmobile has gone to the auto wreckers just down the road.  We discussed replacements and decided that the missus really needs a commuter car with excellent gas mileage.  We test drove a few vehicles but settled with this:

Yes, that's a smartcar.  And what fun it is to drive.  I had my doubts at first.  In fact, at first, I thought the damn little car couldn't be much longer than my bicycle.  It is, but not by much:

We've had it a week and a half and we have already realized significant gas savings.

I spent three days last week at my daughter's grade 6 camp experience as, for lack of a better term, a chaperone.  I had far too much fun to have been a chaperone.  It was hot and tiring and everything was uphill both ways, but so enjoyable.  I even got the opportunity to do this:

Yeah - that's me scurrying up those staples to that swing bridge about 35 feet above the ground.

Our annual Doors Open event came and went and our Heritage Centre Wellington booth was well visited.  Before my turn to man the booth, we took the kids to some venues they wanted to see.

We went to the local radio station (The Grand 92.9) where they were asked to go on the air:

Then on to the local cable station where they got to play on the green screen set:

All together it has been a busy month.  And I haven't even talked about writing.

I'll do that next time.

....and another thing....

It has been over a month since the last blog entry and what a busy month it has been.  There’s lots of news so let’s jump right in…

First, there was a sale.  My short story PACT has been purchased (I use that term in the loosest sense.  No money has changed hands) and will be published in an upcoming issue of Sherlock Holmes Mystery Magazine (should be # 11, I’m told), but not for about eight months.

I was asked to join the committee for The Elora Writer’s Festival.  I was interviewed on our local cable station’s show, Over the Fence, to spread the word about this year’s line-up. You can check out the line-up by following this link. This year’s festival takes place on May 27^th.  If you can make it, join us for a day of readings.

I’ve been working on Herne, fleshing it out to novel length.

I’ve written a short story for a new anthology called Urban Green Man. 

There was a review of Evolve Two and Symbiosis was again favourably reviewed.  Peter Tennant for the UK's Black Static Magazine had this to say about my story:

        "This section of the book closes with the emotive‘Symbiosis’ by David Beynon, a sad and lonely man coming to an agreement with a hungry vampire, each attempting to give the other what he needs most, the story character driven and with a bitter sadness and compassion underneath the text."

And then there’s the BIG project.   Remember a while back when I posted a couple of sketches of a garage/office concept?  Well, the concept is beginning to take shape:

And not just on paper:

First the carport needed to come down.  I tore off the sides, stripped the shingles and unhooked the electrical.  It took me a week. The contractor came in with his little yellow digger and had the rest of it down in a couple of hours.  I'm convinced I must have loosened all the nails...

It was an impressive little machine, as my son will attest.  

Next a base of gravel was applied by a marvel of technology - the Stone Slinger.

Now we have forms up - more gravel, some re-bar and Styrofoam - all in preparation for the big concrete pour.  I'll post more when that happens.