Rockin & Rollin Again

A couple of weeks ago the temperature swung to the positive side of the thermometer so I decided it was time to get back into the shop. After completing the chess set I pulled out the rocking chair parts and went to work. I will post some pictures as it comes together, but I wanted to show the mortise and tennon joints for the back leg assembly before I glue it up. The closest leg is tipped up 90 degrees from how it glues to show the slots a bit better. This project has required some of my most precise work on a large scale (as opposed to the mail box banks on a small scale) that I have ever done. The back rest assembly is all cut on a curve so it will be comfortable, and that has been pretty fun to do. I have had to do several cuts to make parts on the bandsaw which is a bit shakey for me, but even that has worked out okay. So far everything is fitting together perfectly -- like a fist in a man's eye as Grandpa would say. I am really happy at how it is working out, and it has been so fun to make some saw dust again. I thought you might get a bit of a kick out of it, even though you sort of "have to be there" to really get the picture.

With regard to the reunion on July 4th -- here is what I know. The plan is for folks to drift into town on Saturday 7/2 with a dinner planned that night at the ranch. Sunday go to church and Sunday dinner at the ranch on 7/3. The actual activities would be 7/4, and then folks will drift away at their leisure on 7/5. I believe Mom and I are planning on attending if things are okay with work still at that point. We thought we would stay at Grandpa T's or at a hotel in Ammon rather than setting up a tent among the cow pies and showering under a hose. I'm sure the Loertscher clan will occupy the available spaces at Hi-Willow which is as it should be. Mom and I have talked about taking the balance of the week to do some things in Utah with the clan there, but we have no definite plans or schedule. It would be cool if the TX clan could hang around and we could all be together. I believe it would be next to impossible to get cabins at Colter Bay for that time with the traffic from the 4th, but it doesn't cost to ask if we wanted to try. Also there are some non National park private places across the valley that I have always thought looked nice but I have no idea of cost or crowd. I also know vacation time is precious and expensive and the Glades were together last year, so there may be some desire to have this be an off year for family activities. Other options may be flaming gorge, dinasour park, mirror lake area, we could even inquire about Aunt Stella's cabin to rent. Let us know what the thoughts might be.

Love

Dad