Pure Earth D

What's not to like about this product?  If you have a problem with putting poison chemicals on your pets, this is the answer.

Maintenance And Art

This week I have been taking advantage of my present situation and doing maintenance on my Chevy S-10 this month.  My friend Tom has a home body shop where I have a spot set up to do my jewelry and knife making projects until I can move back to Columbus.  He fixed my back bumper last week and I helped him stack firewood in exchange.  Yesterday we winterized my engine.  I had forgotten that I only had 50/50% antifreeze in my radiator, and had been driving around since June low on oil.  Yesterday, I learned that I have one of "the good engines" which means 6 cylinder as opposed to 4 cylinder in mechanic speak.  I marvel at the products that are available in the body shop and  would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to explore turning my truck into an art car (truck).  Tom hasn't ever heard of an art car or seen one, but has always supported my artistic endeavors (no matter how weird).  It wouldn't be too hard to convince him to let me work on that project (one panel at a time) while I share this space.  Who knows, the good and plenty mobile may make it to the Doo Dah parade by July 4th 2012!  I am not completely sold on the good and plenty theme, rather I've been influenced by the present colors of my truck.  There is no way around using my truck while I decorate it. Barbara Nicolazzo (a follower of this blog) in Florida would be a good source of information about the process.  I met art car Barbara a few years ago when she came to Columbus for The Hot Times Festival.  She won two trophies that year for her art car, and Barbara believes I should make an art car out of my truck.  I certainly have kicked the idea around in my head since then, but had no real opportunity to actually start the project.  First things first though.  I need to replace a broken sway bar, one tire, and most of my exhaust system.  Somewhere in there a tune up, oil change, and flushing the radiator out is in order as well.  This truck has served me well, even when I had no money for maintenance (80% of my income going into my rental situation) this year.  I am grateful for my little truck and going to take pleasure in bringing it back up to snuff in the coming months.  I am so looking forward to 2012, finishing old projects, starting new ones, visiting old friends, and hopefully making new friends along the way.  An art truck may be just the catalyst for such undertakings.

Almost Done

I am almost finished making my Christmas gifts for 2011.  I am out of saw blades and have to wait for my Social Security check to purchase more materials.  I can now turn my attention to Valentines Day 2012.  Last year I gave Lori a sterling silver and copper feather for Valentines Day and her birthday.  I still read the email exchange from time to time and wonder how in the world my getting permission to drop off these with a card could anyhow be construed into a civil protection order.  I also wonder if she has told anyone about this email exchange as the folks that have attacked me don't seem to know about it.  Had there been a hearing on the matter, I most certainly would have been able to present the evidence that I had permission to put those presents on her porch.  I left cat brushes and treats.  I left the soaker hose I borrowed.  I left the broom that belonged to Lori's dad that was nearly stolen by Nesley's workmen.  I gave her back the fence I would not be needing as I was moving.  I left the zerox printer that previously belonged to Norka.  I wrote her letters as to what I would be trying to drop off in the future and thanking her for the use of the items.  I always called and left a message the day I would be dropping things off.  I made sure she would be at work during those times as I did not want to upset her.  It isn't any wonder that the civil protection order was dropped without prejudice as it had no basis in reality.  These other unfortunate individuals that Lori has taken up with are unethical and would not think twice about twisting my good intentions into something that would be interpreted as stalking, or destruction of property etc.  I heard that Nesley dumped my jewelry chemicals down the drain and then claimed I ruined her plumbing.  That is the sort of person Nesley is but that is not the sort of person Lori is.  I can only imagine that one of these days Lori won't have anything to do with Nesley.  Nesley is like gum on my shoe, and the sooner I get it off the easier it will be to get on down the road.  I have a month to prepare for trial.  Nesley and her unethical attorney don't have any concrete evidence and can only fabricate lies that I anticipated.  They only know one trick which is to twist the truth into a lie.  I will be anticipating each and every lie and trick as I have since April.  Her only way out of the trap of her own making is to drop the case.  Of course that may not be possible as I have filed a counter suit to recover the damages to my property.  The table could very easily be turned and she could be the defendant in Common Pleas Court if the judge kicks it up into a higher court.  In the meantime their warped little plan didn't work and I am free to continue on my projects.  I am almost done as my sister would say.

My Cauldron

I am going to sand blast my Great Grandmothers Cauldron this month while I am sharing space at my friend's body shop.  Out of all my antiques this cauldron is my favorite.  I was fortunate to be able to use it last year on February 2nd for a small yule fire.  Candlemass (Imbolic) is the next holiday on the witches calendar.  I am pleased to be safe, warm, and dry this year.  I moved my antiques to my sisters house in late September long before the eviction process.  I had told my landlord in May that she would need to evict me.  This was a process that had to happen in order for me to have any hope of recovering the money for my damaged property.  Last winter we had a lot of rain.  My tools and equipment deteriorated for a year in that damp environment.  Had I just picked up and moved in June (the advise of legal aid), I would have had to just take the loss.  And while eviction is a nasty experience, it isn't as bad as helplessly standing by while my workshop was rusting away.  Columbus legal aid was not interested in looking at the deeper issues underlying the unpaid water bill from 2009.  I moved in in September 2010 and tried to get the water bill in my name.  Of course my landlord did not return my calls.  The water bill was in my landlords deceased mothers name, resulting in her not having to pay it.  She would have had to pay off the balance to change title.  I was told that it is common practice for landlords to use the water shut off tactic in order to avoid the expense of filing for eviction.  I was forced to pay this bill, or go without water.  I could not imagine living without water so I reluctantly paid it.  I also paid the water bill two days before my eviction notice, but was able to stop payment on that bill, leaving the balance of $182 for the landlord or unsuspecting new tenant to pay.  It was only fair since I had paid her bill.  This will probably result in the new tenant getting a water shut off notice soon, and have to come up with $200 in addition to sky high gas and electric bills.  Cosmetically the house on Paul Drive was super nice.  In reality though, it cost 80% of my income to live there.  I lived frugally, and in fear that my studio would be destroyed by water.  Last April I was approved for a full weatherization grant.  Of course my landlord did not respond to my communications about that, and instead wrote me an email telling me my lease would not be renewed.  The grant would have replaced the furnace which was operating at 60% efficiency according to my her own workman.  It would have replaced the aging water heater which was corroding in the damp basement.  It would have covered the cost of blowing insulation into the walls and plugged up the holes around the door frames and windows.  A few days ago I got a letter from the weatherization program that I will take to court with me in February as it is illegal to deny a tenant weatherization services.  The front door fell off in January and was not repaired till April, so I paid a lot of money heating the great outdoors last winter while my greedy landlord was only too happy to come collect rent!  My landlord works for H&R Block and is too busy to take care of her properties from February through April.  But this year she will have to make time for a pretrial and trial during the heart of tax season!  And who knows, the new tenant may be experiencing problems with the arrangement by now and may back out of the land contract agreement.  I am happy to take my cauldron elsewhere and I know my former landlord will probably get what is coming to her sooner or later...possibly as soon as February. 

Come Up And See Me Sometime

I have been very busy through the holidays making my Christmas Feathers.  It is something I do every year right up through Christmas Eve.  On December 17th (8 days before Christmas), I got a series of threatening emails from my 17th follower (no longer a follower) Dee Ames.  Dee refuses to accept the fact that I have every right to pursue the matter of the unpaid phone bill through the legal system, and has vowed to "find you" me (giving me my temporary address in the message).  Even though I really didn't have time for it, I contacted Dee's former employers, City Attorney, County Prosecutor, Police Sargent, etc. just so that I could be sure that my sister and I will be safe from Dee's threats through the holidays.  Hopefully somebody made a phone call to her and warned her that she could be prosecuted for her veiled ( and not so veiled) threats.  Each of them encouraged me to file formal charges which would have involved at least 2 trips to Columbus during my busiest time of the year.

Should Dee decide to "find you" (me), she will undoubtedly encounter very harsh road conditions, dead zone cell service, and wacko GPS systems.  The road to and from here is very unfriendly to the unsuspecting traveler.  When someone comes to visit us we have to go fetch them from wherever they can describe being lost!  This shot was taken at about 3:30 in the afternoon on a day that the fog never lifted.  It is a pity that the evil ones would think they can intimidate me, and laughable that they would threaten to come out here and cause trouble.  We are pretty remote and have to constantly be servicing our vehicles just to go about our daily business.  It would be costly in many ways for Dee Ames to come out here.  She might have to get a realignment, new tires, and possibly exhaust just to what...stick her nose in something that isn't any of her business?

Merry Christmas From The Family

This YouTube is from Robert Earl Keene.  It is my absolute favorite Christmas song!  I confess I miss WCBE this season as we don't get WCBE out here in Frazeyland!  WCBE plays this song every year before Christmas.  Perhaps on my trip to Columbus today I will treat myself to the station and get my fix of Christmas humor.

Syd And My Christmas/Solstice Greeting

I have received some very nice Christmas cards this year.  I confess that I have no means of returning them EXCEPT that I take pictures of THINGS and BEINGS if I am quick enough to see them, or capture them.  My Christmas/Solstice card this year is a shot of Syd, my cat trying to break out of our room (Break On Through To The Other Side) through the window pane.  I hope you enjoy.  Thank you for your sentiments and well wishing.  Thank you for the time you took to address the envelope, adhere the stamp...and send us the message. I thank you for the good wishes you send us.  We are both celebrating the holidays in gratitude for the roof over our head and sanctuary!.  As Mrs. Gray would say "we are tunneling out".

Fringe Benefits

There are many pluses to having my temporary workspace at my friends body shop.  I am thrilled that I get to observe larger metalwork in progress.  Last weekend my friend Tom straitened out my back bumper with his bumper bar that works on the fulcrum process.  Now I can hook up a trailer, cart, boat, or small U-Haul to my little truck and get even more versatility.  I plan on doing some camping in the spring, so having the capacity to pull my gear behind me will allow me to add a mattress to my truck bed as I am finding that the older I get the less I can handle sleeping on the ground.  I helped my friend stack firewood the day he gifted me with his skills and knowledge of metal manipulation.  I marvel at the similarity of my small tools for jewelry making and his larger tools for body work!

Mediation

My "mediation" about the damage to my property is at 9:AM today.  It (the hearing (mediation)) is really about the $3000 plus she, (my landlord) is charging me for "damages" to her property...  I will go, as I have lost vital tools this year as a result of a false promise of a dry basement from my landlord Nesley Thomas 2108 Paul Drive Columbus Ohio 43211...  I can not recover my money (my damages) except through a counter suit...so I really do have to go to this.  They have already turned the matter over to collections.....before trial!  I am not sure what exactly I am mediating!  I will use the opportunity while in Columbus to do other things and see other people.  I don't guess Nesley and her (coughs) attorney wanted this....as they wanted to prematurely turn this into collections before trial....before I could show the court the damage she has done to my tools equipment etc.  Now I must expose their fraud prior to official trial!  Hey....if you are in the area and are bored....you should drop in on  the "mediation" tomorrow where Concha gets gang banged by the system...because she cant afford an unethical attorney!  Do I sound cynical?  So sorry....we all know that the system will protect the underdogs, the handycapped and thedowntrodden....Oh....why do ya suppose they call them down trodden and who does the trodden?  Do ya know what I mean?

post script:  I attended the mediation this morning via telephone.  It was as I suspected an attempt to examine my evidence prior to trial by the plaintiff and her attorney.  As also expected nothing got settled.  It is very likely that this matter will go to trial.  The only way it wouldn't go to trial would be if Nesley would decide to drop the case.

Cyber Crimes And Criminals

We can all breathe easy now.  Dee (17th Follower that is now unfollowing) is now working for the cyber crimes unit for the BCI.  Dee is a legend... in her own mind.  Dee was briefly the 17th follower to this blog and graced me with 22 spam comments to moderate that had nothing to do with the topic of course.  She has two police reports on her abusive comments, emails, and threats, and I have graciously given her one more chance.  Obviously she is just testing the BCI's system for them...troubleshooting LOL!  I was absolutely right on spot to not let that woman into our home to smoke pot with us a few years ago.  Sometimes it takes a while to find out the good judgement calls from our inner guide.  I put up with all sorts of crap just so Lori could get a buzz back in the day.  Lori gets headaches if she doesn't smoke.  I had to put up with old girlfriends just getting out from prison...in between robberies.  Former fellow employees that beat their kid, wife, and pit bull right in front of us while we were waiting for our little bag of smoke.  Drunk girlfriends who didn't know what weighed more a pound of gold or a pound of feathers so could not for the life of them add up the amount we owed for our precious purchase LOL!  But I held firm and resolute that I would not stoop so low to smoke dope with a cop...no how no way!  And for some reason Dee is having trouble understanding that this is my personal web log and online journal.  She doesn't have to read it if she doesn't want to!  Two months ago Dee boasted that I was going to get a TPO charge and she had two cops and a lawyer on her pay role.  Now she is armed with my social security number that I freely gave Lori last Monday in court.  I figure I am in for some bizarro cyber ride.  Identity Theft here I come!    

Black Cat Auditions

My sister found this photo of black cat auditions for an Edgar Allen Poe story called The Black Cat that was made into a movie.  Here is the link to the wonderful website where there are even more photos and even the story with pictures.  Enjoy dear readers.  I will be traveling to Columbus this week to attend a mediation session and hopefully do some drumming with The Columbus Womens Drum Chorus.  I am making 3 pair of ear rings and playing Santa's Elf probably right up till the night before Christmas.  "It is a wonderful life" and 2012 is gonna be a great year!

Seventeen

We have a new follower to Concha's Cauldron folks.  Retired officer Dee Ames has joined us this week making my following 17.  Welcome Dee.  I suggest you click on some of my genealogical links if you are interested in my family and upbringing.  My grandmother made me the family genealogist before she died.  I have lovingly posted all the charts and continued finding my ancestors through the internet and local graveyards.  The links are broken down into charts and some of our family history is rich with details.  The links to the right are blogs I follow, links to my fiction and short stories which I published early this year and even got paid for writing them!  At the very bottom is a slide show of some of my pottery.  And of course there is the blog index that goes all the way back to 2007 when I decided to begin keeping a daily journal of my present thoughts and reflections on the past.  Each link on here is personal to my interests and perhaps you will want to visit those links too.  I want to welcome you to our little group and encourage you to keep an open mind.  Stay as long as you like, encourage others to join if you wish. 

post script:  Dee has opted to un join my official followers and has probably joined the ranks of my shadow following.  It could be that she got a call from the desk Sargent of The Columbus Police Department as this is her second warning to stop harassing me.  I published one of Dee's comments yesterday on Paperless Billing and answered her accusations.  She has a problem with me taking Lori to court for the unpaid phone bill.  Lori has obviously given Dee my social security number from the credit reports I shared with her last Monday.  Dee used that information to obtain my court records and I feared that she would try to do some identity theft as she is bent on harming me any way she can.  I told the Sargent that I knew that Dee's police issued revolver was used to shoot at least two women in Dee's past and that she has told me she will find me and even tried to publish my address.  This morning she tried to comment again under a new username but I won't publish any more of her comments as she is not really trying to contribute to solutions and may very well be creating more problems.    

Paperless Billing

I am having an Andy Rooney Moment this morning!  Something as simple as car insurance should not be as difficult as my current insurance company is making it.  I shopped around for my car insurance, switched companies 5 times in a year because of the billing problems.  Most companies are now charging more to those of us who send in money orders.  But I have also found that some companies bill customers for using a debit card to pay the bill.  So on one hand I am penalized for using paper, and on the other hand I am charged a fee for using plastic.  My recent insurance company sends me so much mail that I have had to get an overstuffed file to put the unread mail in as well as a file for the opened car insurance mail.  Each envelope says "Important Insurance Information Enclosed: Please Open Immediately.  Most of the time it is not important at all, but redundant information that I already have!  Now I ask you dearest reader, why should I go to paperless billing and then have so much paper to deal with on a weekly basis?  Isn't the whole point of going paperless to save the forest's?  I confess I miss the old curmudgeon Andy Rooney.  I think of him every time I get more junk mail, and supposedly important insurance information.  I know what he would say, and I know he wouldn't disappoint me.  I feel a kindred bond with him, and know he is out there somewhere in the cosmos frowning and shaking his head.  This photo of Andy is from a website called Mentalfloss.  The author speaks of his inner Andy Rooney which I am sure Andy would think that to be funny.

Nail In The Coffin

Lori lied to the court clerk yesterday.  We were not under oath at the time, so seemingly there was no harm done.  The woman asked us twice if we had tried to work this out among ourselves.  It was a reasonable question that will probably come up again.  I had the opportunity to say yes...I tried to work this out through the courts mediation program and Lori declined to come to the mediation session.  If need be I can prove that we had a mediation appointment scheduled prior to our hearing yesterday.  Her lie though was that the phone company wouldn't give her the information or work with her to resolve this which is a partial truth that I was not expecting.  Fortunately, I had obtained copies through the collection agency; the phone bills in question as well as two credit reports and could produce those.  I know they sent them to Lori's address because that address was on the bills.  I can't prove what Lori did with the phone bills or the collections letters.  A judge could subpoena that documentation from the phone company even though customers can not.  That won't stop and inquiring Judge from asking her though.  I can prove that Lori was responsible for the bill as she paid with her Fifth 3rd debit card.  I never once paid that phone bill and did not have a bank account.  I can prove it was her email attached to the phone bills not mine.  I can prove that this debt ended up on my credit report.  I can also prove that I had new phone service at my new address when this matter got turned over to collections November 2010.  I can prove that Lori didn't pay the bill from June through November and I moved in August.  I have documentation proving that I have always had lifeline service which is a discount offered to handicap and low income people.  It won't be that hard to convince a Judge that I put the bill in my name to cut the cost to her.

  This matter is slated for trial on February 7th.  It will be different next round as it won't be as easy convincing a Judge that she didn't know about either the phone bill or the collections letters.  I suppose she could blame the post office.  It won't matter in the long run as it was her bill and her responsibility and she knows about it now!  Had Lori opted for going to the mediation then I would have offered that all she needed to do was let the 3 credit reporting agencies know that even though the phone bill was put into my name it was her responsibility to pay it.  That would have cost her nothing and we could have avoided going to trial.  I could see that Lori was uncomfortable lying to the clerk.  It will be much harder for her to lie to an actual Judge in February.  She still has time to do the right thing and come clean about all this before trial.  That would be the Lori that knew and  fell in love with 8 plus years ago.

  I am relieved that I can now concentrate on my holiday projects and begin writing my summery for Nesley's small claim that will be coming up soon.  The above print is appropriately called Nail In The Coffin by Rob Dobi.

Santa's Elf Work

I spent part of the weekend in the workshop finishing up some more feathers.  I met two fellows that want to buy feathers and trade for some body work on my truck.  I will be in Columbus today at The Municipal Court to try to recover the money and ruling for Lori's phone bill from 2010.  On my way home I am going to try to finish up my projects on the bench.

Gay Relationships

Gay people in Ohio are not given a fair shake in my opinion.  In Ohio we can not legally marry for instance.  Had Lori and I been able to officially declare our relationship then legally the unpaid phone bill from 2010 would have ended up on both our credit reports and I wouldn't have to take the matter to court.  Intentionally damaging a persons credit report is a form of domestic violence.  I go to court on Monday to try to recover this money, but I want my readership to know that I was willing to mediate last month and offer that she write a letter stating that this phone bill was in fact her responsibility even though we did not put that agreement in writing.  I am not going to enjoy having to ask a magistrate to make Lori keep her word.  I also know that Ohio law is clear about putting such agreements in writing.  Can you imagine how awkward it would be when moving in together in a new relationship to demand that a verbal promise be put in writing?  It would certainly ruin the atmosphere of love and trust.  Please understand that I tried everything to convince her to keep her word and I have had to endure the verbal abuse of one of her X's that believes I should just pay the bill.  Of course this woman boasted that she was going to hire a lawyer for Lori and send police officers to my house to rough me up.  She also made fun of my handicap without considering that a $156 credit debt is out of reach for me.  My phone bills are $8.10 a month and I always pay my bills.  How in the world would I ever be able to pay it?  This is the sort of abuse that will be on my credit report for 7 years unless I can convince a judge that the verbal promise is to be honored.  I plan on taking the X girlfriends abusive emails next Monday as they clearly indicate that I should just pay it even though it was Lori's responsibility.  Maybe I will be lucky and this unfortunate individual will come with Lori to court and I can introduce her as a hostile witness and inter the emails into evidence.  I plan on sending these to the credit reporting agency anyway as Lori had the telephone # before I moved in and continues to have the telephone # to this very day.  Her email address is clearly on the phone bills and she paid with her bank card each time.  Lori had confided in me prior to me moving in that her X's robbed her and cheated on her.  She was a victim.  She is not a victim this time around.  She did this deliberately when I was moving out.  She deliberately kept the information from me and did not forward the statements or the collections letters.  She involved an individual that has a very abusive history to intimidate me.  This individual who is a retired police officer has threatened me and I had to file a police report in order to get her to stop.  I don't know what it will take for people to understand that I won't be threatened or intimidated into changing my behavior or plan of action.  If anything I am even more resolute.  I don't let people just shit on me and then walk away from it.  I love women and am saddened that this relationship ended as it has.  I was always faithful and true to Lori and she can not say the same.  She isn't the victim this time.  She has graduated to the level of her X's who were bank robber's, thieves, and now a corrupt retired cop.

What Women Want

What Women Want Book!  I bet it is not "The Complete" What Women Want Book!

Syd's Linage

Syd is 7 plus years old May 16th.  My sister has his two parents Token and Jack.  Here the two lovebirds are in repose on Taren's guitar case.  I have no idea how old they are.  Syd doesn't venture out of the bedroom much at all as he is confronted by my sisters other cats.  He did come out this morning for a few minutes...long enough to find out that there are 5 other cats that share the house with him.  I am giving him and them all the time they need to adjust until I find the perfect home for Syd and me.  I marvel at how similar Syd is to his parent cats!

From Scratch

I made spaghetti and meatballs yesterday afternoon when I came home from my workspace.  It smelled so good when it was cooking that it was hard to wait until it was fully cooked.  I made my meatballs from scratch just like dad used to do.  He would start with top shelf ground beef, add an egg, some Italian dressing, spices and some salt and pepper.  Sometimes he used oats as a filler or crackers.  Mom made the sauce (Ragu, tomato paste, and mushrooms) as he mixed up the meatballs in a large bowl.  They were quite a team and the memory of them is still strong in my mind.  I conjure them when I make spaghetti!

  I used bread crumbs instead of oats that my sister had on hand for filler and followed dads process almost exactly.  I plopped them individually into the sauce that was already cooking as I rolled each one into medium sized balls.  I like to have meatball subs with the leftovers and it is easier to eat with medium sized meatballs as the large ones have a tendency to roll right out of the sub bun.  The only thing I didn't find to add was a bay leaf.  Mom always cooked her meatballs with a bay leaf!  I haven't made anything from scratch in a very long time.  I haven't made homemade spaghetti and meatballs for about 9 years as my X always fried the meat and added it to the sauce instead.  I will grant you it was quicker that way...but there is nothing like the smell of a pot of meatballs simmering for hours on the stove on a Sunday afternoon.  My sister made us a salad and I had brought some Italian sub buns home from the store.  It just doesn't get any better than that!  One of my favorite Columbus restaurants is Spaghetti Warehouse, but I don't ever get spaghetti there.  I always order something I can't make like Veal Parmesan or their famous Lasagne.  I know that if I ordered spaghetti and meatballs that it wouldn't be as good as mom and dads combined efforts.  I have to wonder if my other siblings make it for their families and if they follow mom and dads method.  I look forward to asking my sister for some of the old recipes that she may have here from our parents.  Nothing says home like a simmering pot of spaghetti on the stove made from scratch.  As I recall, it is even better on the second day.

Parts Is Parts

I have run into a snag.  I am missing the two vital wrenches for my Foredom handpiece that also attaches to my drill press.  It is possible that my friend Tom Parry can make me a set.  They cost $3.50 and $7.00 to ship.  I need them "yesterday" though and so it might just be quicker to make them as I am waiting for UPS to deliver them.

Concert Tonight

The Columbus Women's Drum Chorus is performing tonight at 7pm along with Douglas Blue Feather and other Columbus performers at The Spiritualist Temple.

Favorite Places Favorite Things

I am traveling to Columbus today to pay for my storage unit and get things out for my workshop.  Columbus is one of my favorite places.  I will visit my old haunts and get some food they don't have around here.  I will visit the library and Uncle Sam's Pawn Shop.  I have commissions for 3 feathers so far and I need to get cracking!  Things will go alot smoother after I get my Foredom hand piece and drill press.  Thankfully I was able to get these tools out of harms way and can repair the water damage to them.  The Foredom set is the "Cadillac" of dremel tools (dental tool) and I have been having to improvise without it.  I don't mind improv mind you,  I just miss having the perfect tool for the job.  I will be able to finish all my feathers much quicker and efficiently because of this short trip today.

Christmas Feathers Pending

I am combining 3 metals this season to create a little variety in choice, color, and price.  So there will be silver, brass, and copper feathers to choose from with a wide range of bead choices as well.  The 3 feathers to be on the left all have silver rachus's (stems).  I have not chosen their beads yet.  The two on the right are all but finished and have amber beads to match the brass and copper, and 3 silver beads to finish the silver one.  I still have a tool in the storage unit that I need to get to finish these properly.  Hopefully the weather will hold and I can get it this week.

Spaces

This is a photo of my storage shed that I rented in October after round one with my landlord in court.  I snapped pictures as I packed it so that I would be able to have a record of where everything is.  Order in chaos is very important in my instance as I knew I would want a basic workshop somewhere on this end.  I will be retrieving more tools and files my next trip to Columbus and exchanging these things for things I took but don't really need.  My sister and I are going to try to construct a storage shed this spring.  She needs one...almost everyone I know needs one...and we have the winter to plan it out.  I once found a whole website dedicated to "the shed" and I can imagine we can make one for very little investment.  In the meantime I will be tweaking my spaces and hopefully downsizing to the next smaller storage unit.  This is a 10/15 and I may be able to downsize to a 10/10 if the weather holds.

Deer Hunting Season

Today is the first day of deer hunting with "guns" in my neck of the woods.  It is also cyber Monday, the day people shop online.  The hunters have been practicing daily up till now, and the deer I have seen have been pretty nervous.  I for one, will be glad when this is all over, and peace and quiet descends on the woods...and the shopping centers.  I dread November, December, and January 1st.  People are crazy this time of the year.  Right now it seems risky to go out side or to drive into the city.   Drunken hunters and eager shoppers are seeking out their "targets"...spending their "bucks"...apparently rolling in the "doe".  Perhaps I should be grateful that today most housewives are quietly shopping online while their men are out disrupting the woods.  When I was in high school I had to pump gas for the hunters.  My ma had to make them sandwiches.  Deer season was our most profitable time of the year at our little country store.  But I never got over having to look into the dead vacant eyes in the vehicles while I pumped gas.  I never got over having to wait on men who were drunk out of their minds and making passes at girls half their age...It was, and is, something to be endured even today.  I so wish that the odds could be evened and that hunters were hunted this time a year.  Law enforcement out here is scarce, and the economy teeters.  Much revenue in fines and court costs could be made just on busting unruly hunters.  It is pouring down rain today and cold.  That is comforting to me.  It won't be easy to hunt today or tomorrow.  Maybe Bambie and Rudolf can have a couple more days of peace.

Workshop Art

It looks like a basic cinder block garage.  But magic things go on inside.   I was pleasantly surprised to come across this early landscape of Tom Parry's metal shop hanging proudly over his desk.  I knew what it was instantly.  It has all the elements of art therapy and was done by Tom Parry's daughter Natasha when she was a very little girl probably 1st or 2nd grade.  Notice the picture is titled The Parry Farm, but the house is absent as well as the other buildings on the property.  That little girl knew that Toms metal shop was the center and heart of his farm.  It shows elements of cubism in that you can see at least 3 sides of the garage.  There is a great sense of balance the young artist achieved as the 3 gravel roads intersect much like the shop is nestled in the crotch of a tree.  Tosh is now in her early 20's and I am happy to see her art in the shop.  Daddy is still proud!  I feel right at home.  I will be working in Tom's studio today making my feathers for Christmas presents.  What a great place for me to land after such a turbulent month.  My tools are safe and dry, and I have everything I need to continue all my projects.  I may even finally get to learn welding!  The spirit of love permeates the shop, and I realize once again how lucky I am to be able to get away from those who would do me harm and would destroy my tools.  Perhaps I will add some art of my own to Tom's collection.  Here is a photo I snapped of the right side of his garage leading to an old hand built saw mill that is still on the property.  I worked for Tom's uncle Lee and can see that Tom like his uncle continues the love and care of the property.

The Cart Before The Horse

I got a letter from a collections agency regarding the claim and counterclaim with Nesley Thomas the very same day I got a letter from Franklin County Municiple Court that they want to "mediate" the case rather than take the case to trial.  It seems to me that as far as the collections people are concerned this case has already been resolved.  I confess that I see no reason to go through mediation when the outcome is fixed.  I had requested a jury trial when I changed my address with the court.  I won't be negotiating with anyone unless the collection agency is informed that a trial about the money and damages is still pending.  It looks to me like Nesley's unethical lawyer just wants to examine my evidence so that he can beat me later in court.  I am not going to fall for that.  The time for mediation would have been last May 2011 when Nesley threatened to not renew my lease because of my complaints about the wet basement (punishing me for my interactions with Lori over the phone bill).  The time for mediation would have been before she took it upon herself to break my kiln.  If I attend this spectacle, I won't be bringing any evidence that Nesley's lawyer can try to suppress during the jury trial.  I don't think a jury of our peers will be amused at Nesley's slumlord activities, and upon looking at my evidence would understand completely why I sent her receipts for the kiln rather than pay her any more rent.  Each time I open a toolbox that was in that basement I find damaged tools.  It is very likely that by the time this matter comes to trial that her damages will kick the case into common pleas, and she will be the defendant.  In the meantime she has some taxes to pay and some title transfers to pay or she just might start losing property.  But lets not put the cart before the horse!

Damaged Tools

These silver smithing and knife making files were in toolboxes up off the basement floor at my Paul Drive Studio.  I have collected them and lovingly took care of them for about 15 years.  It would cost me hundreds of dollars to replace them and I wouldn't be able to replace them all at once.  As I set up my new metal workspace I am finding more and more damage to my tools and equipment due to the flooding and damp environment for the last year.  It is my belief that I can salvage most of these files with some TLC and PB Blaster.  I do so hope Nesley and I can go to court where I can present the evidence of my reasoning for not paying her rent those last couple months I was trapped there.  Hopefully I will be able to show my dear readers an after saving the files picture.  Hopefully I got out of there in the nick of time.  Because of the shape of these files, I can pretty much guess that the corrosion in the wiring in that same basement was causing my outlets not to function and my power tools rendered unusable because of the dampness.  I have never been so happy to get out of a place in my life!

Gratitude List

Last year on Thanksgiving I posted a gratitude list.  This is an exercise that could be done every day...like prayer.  I am sure that most of the people, places, and things are a repeat.  That said here is my list this year.
1.  My family and friends
2. The roof over my head
3. The food on the table
4. My truck
5. My cat Syd
6. My workshop
7. My tools and equipment
8. My abilities and my health
9. The safety net provided by my higher power
10. Mother Earth and all her mysteries
I could go on and on.  One year I added the color purple to my list, another year magic.  On days like today I don't want to take anything I have and know for granted.  I urge you dear reader to make a gratitude list.  Try it, you will feel better.

The Sparrow By Mary Doria Russell

I make a few feathers every year during the Christmas Holidays.  It was only recently that I learned that a friend who buys them was inspired by the book The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell.  I started the book the other day and am surprised it is Sci Fi.  Right now it has a Dune series feel to it as it is mixing religion with Science Fiction.  I have always included feathers in some of my designs.  But my friend just wanted plain feathers which have turned out to be the cornerstone of my silversmithing.  I had always imagined the feathers being a Native American thing and most of the feathers I have made have been eagle feathers.  For my friend Tim, The Sparrow was a profound book and he delights in giving these feathers away for Christmas presents and gifts for about 10 years in my recollection.  I look forward to finishing the book and hopefully enlightening myself this coming Thanksgiving weekend when the family descends on us, and I may need to curl up with a good book and escape from the chaos for a little while.  Reading has always been a big part of my life, and I look forward to getting back into it for pleasure instead of study this season.  And I look forward to learning why my feathers are such a  profound symbol to my friend Tim.

Correction

I was mistaken about the interest of the case with The Peoples Court.  It seems they are interested in my small claims case against Lori my X for the unpaid phone bill from last year after I moved out.  And while lawyers and judges would agree that technically Lori was not responsible for a bill that was clearly in my name, upon closer inspection and questioning her they might conclude that it is as I have said:  I put it in my name to save her money as I get a considerable discount because of my disability.  She had stiffed her previous landlord for over $600, and probably couldn't get utilities in her name until she paid off the balance to them as well.  I have to have at least one utility in my name for my foodstamps and medical card.  It is not going to be too hard for someone to check her credit report and find that Lori ducks out of responsibility often as she can as she is not an honest person to begin with.  It should not have taken me 7 years to figure out she is dishonest and her previous lovers thieves.  If people knew this about her, they might think twice about selling her antiques or even buying antiques from her.  I doubt whether she can afford to be exposed in Peoples court, even though they would pay her more than she would get in Columbus which is zero.  They would even pay me more if I lost the case as it turns out!  They set it up where both parties have more to gain by airing their dirty laundry on TV than to let it be quietly settled by the local magistrate.  They convinced me to agreeing because my case might help someone else out in the same situation.  It is doubtful that anyone would be in my situation as Lori lives under the protection of her sister and can fly under the radar so to speak.  The previous landlord that she owed couldn't find her as Lori's phone was in my name.  Her heat is paid by her brother in law, and so Lori's outstanding debt to Columbia Gas doesn't come into play even now.  I paid her electric bill completely last July, so she probably figured something out there so that she could keep the lights on.  Since it had been 7 years, the debts were off her credit report by the time I moved out.  She cashed in her 401 K, and cheated unemployment the very same year, so she didn't make out too bad even with the loss of my steady income.  Even though she thinks she got away with unemployment fraud there is a statute of limitations...and she just might think she is in the clear when in fact they might be waiting for her next act.  Nesley did her taxes that year, so I think it is safe to assume that Nesley helped her deceive the IRS.  No reason anyone should believe me as after all, I am just the X lover who objected to all the X girlfriends who were thieves being part of our lives.  I understand all too well now about the hoarding, and deceptions now.  I didn't learn these things about Lori over night though.  The information was gathered over a 7 year period of time in bits and increments.  In that 7 years, I sheltered Lori from the consequences of her previous behavior and bought her time to get away from her creditors.  As my sister says "It's all good until it goes bad".  That is my memory of my time with Lori Rayburn.  I lost gemstones, meteorite, money, and my mental well being.  No honest person could put up with the hoarding and thievery that I did and come out of it mentally healthy.  The nut jobs that came into our lives were all shown the door eventually, and some of them I am proud to say, didn't make it past the front door jam!  I don't let thieves or cops for that matter into my home if I can help it.  It was a constant challenge and required my vigilance.  I am guessing Lori will not go to New York for People's Court.  She can't afford the exposure any more than Nesley could if she were offered the chance.  Thieve on girlz, one of these days you might rip off the wrong person.

Peoples Court

Just when I thought things were toning down to a dull routine, out of the blue yesterday I got a call from the associate producer of Peoples Court.  They are interested in "helping" me with my case.  I haven't talked to them personally yet, but I am considering allowing them to look more closely at what the Columbus Court is too overburdened to do.  I have never been to New York City and I would consider making the journey if I were paid to go on the show.  In my imagination a Judge like Marilyn Milian would be able to see through all the deceptions and would put the evil ones in their place on national TV.  I don't think Nesley's tricks would escape the detection of the media hounds that would be looking back at my web logs, my pictures, and my receipts.  Perhaps Nesley would just drop her case rather than be exposed for the slum lord she is.  For sure they would look into Blankenships disbarment, and probably boot him off the set.  Horay for Hollywood.  Here is what I found out about Peoples Court:

These days, daytime television is filled to the brim with sassy judges who have become celebrities in their own right, but People's Court is where it all began.  In 1981, with the no-nonsense Judge Wapner presiding and Doug Llewelyn acting as "court reporter," the Los Angeles-based People's Court started televising small claims cases as a form of entertainment.  People from the show would go through the public court records and dig up some of the more intriguing cases that had been filed, then call up the plaintiffs and defendants and ask if they would be willing to have their dispute settled in the People's Court.  What most viewers don't realize is that People's Court is not a judicial court at all.  When they go on the show, the litigants are consenting to what is known as "binding arbitration," with the judge acting as the arbiter over the case.  The "court room" in People's Court, where the action takes place, is just a set to add to the drama.  The litigants are also paid an appearance fee of $200.
The original People's Court had a good run from 1981 until 1993, but was then canceled when ratings dropped to an all time low.  The show was revamped and resurrected in 1997 and moved to New York City with former NYC mayor Ed Koch presiding.  A couple years later, Jerry Sheindlin (husband of the infamous Judge Judy) took the bench, and then in 2001, Marilyn Milian took over.  Judge Milian's 'supporting cast' includes court reporter Curt Chaplin, bailiff Douglas MacIntosh, and legal expert Harvey Levin. Many people do not realize that the "outside" shots of Harvey Levin are shot at a different time to the show, but the magic of TV editing brings it all back together.
Although some litigants are found via the People's Court website, most of the litigants on the show are discovered through the seemingly tedious task of reading through all the local small claims cases (BTW it's all public record and open to anyone to read) in the New York boroughs and contacting each of the relevant parties to see if they would like to appear on the show instead.

Sparex

I was shy of one ingredient last weekend to make my holiday feathers.  That compound was Sparex a dry granular acid.  And even though I know I have the chemical in my storage unit, it cost me far less to order it from a local jewelry supply store than to try to locate it in my storage shed or to get my mixture from the basement on Paul Drive.  It is in an unlabeled baby food jar as it was given to me by the metalsmith instructor at the arsenal when I ran out several years ago.  There are many potentially dangerous chemicals involved in making jewelry.  This one is an acid that has to be washed off after pickling is complete.  It also works best heated.  I regret that I had to leave my acid pot (crock pot) in the basement on Paul Drive as the day I was returning for it, people had already moved in.  It had about an inch of liquid acid in the pot with a lid on it when I left it to come back for it.  I am hopeful that my previous landlord has a little sense and told the unsuspecting people to not bother anything left in the basement.  There were at least 2 acids I didn't get back to as they are difficult to transport in a moving vehicle.  This chemical was in a crock pot so that I could heat it up when I needed it.  I always used tongs and and ventilation.  Sparex burns holes in clothing and skin, and would probably blind a person if they were to get it in their eyes.  It is not supposed to be breathed and can cause serious health issues in spite of it being safer than the alternative sulfuric acid.  Hopefully they won't just throw it away in the trash...and hopefully not get any of it on them in the process, or caught doing it as it would be a health hazard to the whole neighborhood and against the law to dispose of it down the sink.  I pray for the unsuspecting Garbage men that may have to handle it, although the landlord didn't pay for trash and the new people probably haven't figured out they will have a huge water, sewage, and trash bill 3 months from now in addition to $200 electric and gas bills.

  I recycled and hauled my trash, but didn't get back in time to take care of that task before the new people moved in.  These substances are not permitted in storage sheds, so I really needed to move them to the next studio space or dispose of them.  Eviction is a bitch. but there are worse things like removing hazardous wastes between tenants that is far worse.  God help them if they pour both acids down the drain after one another or add water to them to dilute them.  The antidote for sparex is baking soda, but the antidote for Ferric Chloride is ammonia.  It would be disastrous to mix any and all these together in any form or simultaneously without knowing which order.  They strengthen with use and by adding water of course.  Unfortunately my landlord doesn't give a damn about her tenants safety, so I am going to write to the unsuspecting folks and let them know to get some latex gloves for compounds in their basement and maybe call about how to dispose of the two acids.  She could be sued big time if someone gets hurt in her hastiness and greed.  I sure wish I had both of the acids last weekend as I would have a whole new set of feathers to sell this week.  Ferric Chloride is technically not an acid but is used much like Nitric acid for etching.  I kept it safe in a glass container with a lid, and kept people away from it. I didn't need to label either container as I knew what was in them, and I kept them under lock and key.  I even changed the locks when it looked like the landlords workmen where in there helping themselves to my stuff.  It is unfortunate that I couldn't get them before someone else comes across them.  Thats what getting in too much of a hurry does...it jeopardizes others.
SPAREX ®  is a granular dry acid compound manufactured by Krohn Technical Products for pickling, cleaning and removing surface oxidation, scale, and incrustation from metals.

SPAREX ®  is an easy to use, longer lasting, safe replacement for dangerous sulfuric acid in effective cleaning and pickling of metals.  SPAREX ®  also minimizes the risk of over-pickling, pitting, burning, and wire brushing.

 SPAREX ®  produces smooth, clean, bright surfaces quickly and economically, without destroying fine detail or tolerances.  The prepared solution has 1 ½ times the available acid content of a 5% sulfuric acid solution.

Simon's Cat Hot Spot

This is very cute.  As fate would have it, my cat Syd is in everything this morning.  He has the cats version of cabin fever as he hasn't seen his outside for a couple of weeks.  He has a skylight and free reign of a bedroom.  But this morning, he is competing for desk space and demanding attention.  This blog is for you Syd!

Red Feather's Comment Two Days Ago

Jo Red Feathers comment two days ago deserves careful consideration.  In case you didn't read Jo's comment it was as follows.

"WOW!!!! You have truly lost it! You are almost as weird as Carlos Castaneta. He was not only weird but a total fraud. In The Power and the Allegory, De Mille compared The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge with Castaneda's library stack requests at the University of California. The stack requests documented that he was sitting in the library when allegedly his journal said he was squatting in Don Juan's hut. One discovery that de Mille made in his examination of the stack requests was that when Castaneda was alleged to have said that he was participating in the traditional peyote ceremony—the least fantastic episode of drug use—he was sitting in the UCLA library and he was reading someone else's description of their experience of the peyote ceremony. Other criticisms of Castaneda's work include the total lack of Yaqui vocabulary or terms for any of his experiences.
Let us examine Red Feathers comment beginning with the observation that there was a total lack of Yaqui vocabulary in terms of Castaneda's experiences.  First off Castnaeda didn't use a journal as Red Feather claims, instead he used  "field notes" which is what sociologists and scientists use for research and he wasn't a Yaqui Indian.  Why would he use Yaqui language in field notes unless Don Juan used the language?  If Red Feather wishes exact vocabulary then using"journal" as a substitution for "field notes" is a pretty serious vocabulary error, and some would claim it was an intentional attempt to negate the importance of field notes for studies of anthropological nature.  Red Feather apparently has not read Castaneda's wife's book where she writes that Castaneda's field notes were destroyed in a flood in her basement which I can relate to personally as my operations were hindered by a flooded, damp environment.  Now let us examine Red Feathers vocabulary in terms of  Castaneda.....spelled Castaneda rather than Castaneta.....allegedly sitting in a library rather than participating in the "traditional" peyote ceremony.  Did we read the same book Red Feather?  What part of the experience that you read, and I read was "traditional".  It seemed rather impromptu to me from what I have read about traditional peyote ceremony.  Much like any other drug deal and subsequent experience.  One guy shows up, another guy has the dope....and they get stoned together all threee, and the new guy drinks out of the dog bowl as the onlookers howl in laughter.  That doesn't strike me as traditional at all and once again your attempt through language to discredit him is transparent in the vocabulary you use.  "The least fantastic episode of drug use" is of course subjective to the user, not the evaluator Red Feather.  Who are you to say that Carlos Castaneda's episode with peyote and the porch dog, wasn't as spectacular as your best LSD trip.  We don't know.  Your judging the profound experience of one man by the writing of another.  You should be ashamed of yourself.  And while it is true that without the "field notes" to back up Castaneda's PHD, he was published across the street at a Berkeley Puliching House and on the best seller list before the committee decided to give him his degree.  I think that is a sort of magical feat and the fact that his "character" Don Juan Mateus ended up in Who's Who In America books but Castaneda was not in the book, even more of a magical trick.  I applaud the trickster that comes through in all of Castaneda's mentors throughout his books rather than label Don Juan, Castaneda, or me for that matter as a fraud.  Go read Castaneda's wife's book, then read Castaneda again, and then if you want reread De Milles work.  Work on your own vocabulary and descriptions, judge less, and steer clear on name calling.  Beware of the pitfalls of your own thinking.  You remind me of my landlords workman that tried to give me an illusion of a dry basement prior to me moving into my house on Paul Drive.  He supposedly is an Indian also...but my impression of him is tainted by memories of him trying to steal my tools.  I watched him carefully and at times, I believed I was watching a man stop the water from ruining my tools and equipment.  Instead, he was drawing a paycheck, creating the illusion of stopping the water and walking off with my push broom.  Not bad for a days labor!  But it was an illusion to lure me into the space, and then to extract money from me every month continuing to create the illusion of dry.  If I had only watched Mark the "alleged" Indian and his remedies for the floods, then I would have had no need to go down into the basement each time it rained to see for myself.  She was a fraud, he was a fraud, and what they created was an illusion together.  Perhaps you think that is weird.  But no it is not weird.  It is the way that lazy people problem solve, and avoid telling the truth.  Like Castaneda wrote that Don Juan said "this world is illusion".  Much time was spent between the two of them trying to hash out what was real and what was not real.  My landlord and her workman only tried to make the illusion of dry basement.  I am grateful that I have read enough to not trust what I am told, and not everything I see....otherwise my tools would be destroyed and I would have been $2000 poorer.  Castaneda's books point to being able to really see vs. just ordinary seeing.  Had I not had those books under my belt, I could have been tricked into seeing a dry basement while standing in two inches of water.  Red Feather, stop pissing down my neck and telling me it is raining!

Tommy's Place And My Space

I had everything I needed yesterday to set up shop and make a feather except pickling solution.  Not too bad for packing my shop on the fly.  I will order it on Monday, have it by Wednesday and be in full operation by next weekend or sooner.  I would have tried making one without pickling solution but I won't hurry quality.  Tommy cleared me off a space on top of a table saw in his workshop.  It is not as spacious as my shop, but it is dry and it is safe from thieves.  Tom has a million dollar view of The Longaberger Basket headquarters.

Makeshift Workshop

Today, I finally get to set up a makeshift workshop and begin making my feathers for the holiday season.  I have no idea what my little spot will look like dear reader.  I just know it will be safe, dry, and warm.  The evil ones were able to shut down my operations for about 2 weeks.  I get the "consolation" prize though.  I get away from them once and for all.  I will be transporting my metal shop this morning and my woodworking shop this afternoon.  While it is unfortunate that I can not at this time have both at the same place, I am grateful to be able to have them at all.  The evil ones have no talent and have been jealous all along of my talent.  And rather than let me give my talent to the world, they would rather try to stop me from succeeding.  My landlord promised me a dry basement and she was not able to provide that.  Rather than fess up to her blunder, she evicted me.  On the journey she tried to get me to make her a $1000 piece of jewelry called Penelope's Web.  It was a worthy project, and a project I will put on the back burner for later times.  I am thankful I did not fall prey to her pursuits, and that she can't get her hands on such a powerful ornament that has not been brought into the world further than a drawing.  Today, I will concentrate on holiday feathers and Brenda Thomas's initial key.  Hopefully, I haven't forgotten anything vital to the two pursuits.  But if I have, all is not lost.  My tools and supplies are finally safe, and dry and out of the clutches of the evil ones.  It was a close call, but far from the mark as they were only able to force me into doing something I had to do to save my workshop.  I bought several months of time, and I carefully planned my every move.  That is what unbending intent looks like, when it is up against evil.  Evil goes to sulk in a corner, and lick it's wounds, while the band plays on!

The High Road

I am living with another cat colony this winter.  This colony is indoor though.  Even Syd doesn't like to be on the floor.   Cats take the high road in most instances.  Whenever I can not find a cat, I look up!

The Men Who Stare At Goats

I am checking out a movie today from the library that promises to be a good distraction. The Men Who Stare At Goats is the name.  Not that I need a distraction.  My life is pretty good now that I have escaped from the evil ones!  I am reminded though that evil is always lurking about, and comes out sideways sometimes.  It is not surprising in the least that the U.S. Military would try to use New Age techniques to give themselves a boost in terms of warfare.  I am reminded that even Hitler manipulated the occult for his purposes, and some of those prisoners of war were brought to this country, given new identities and bank accounts to perpetuate our own interests in mind control..  It is hard to imagine how such a subject could be remotely funny, but I am willing to give it my best shot.

Blocks Bagels

I

I was in Columbus yesterday attempting to vote which turned out to be impossible, and to file a small claim for the unpaid phone bill that my X was responsible for.  On my way back to my sisters house, I took Broad Street to James Road and I spotted one of my favorite Columbus eating establishments Block's Bagels.  I decided to stop and get 6 Bagels take out and felt sufficiently rewarded for a trip that I really did not want to make in the first place.

I had filled out the change of address form for my absentee ballot, but it didn't get here in time to vote.  My polling place in Mifflin Township requires two pieces of mail in addition to the ID (apparently Republicans don't move!).  In my instance, I had a Paul Drive address on my license but the mail I had with me was Frazeysburg.  So I didn't get to vote yesterday, and I was bummed.

The other reason for driving to Columbus was to get the ball rolling for my small claim against Lori my X who didn't pay the phone bill that was in my name out of the goodness of my heart to save her money.  I really had hoped Lori and I could work out the phone bill through mediation, but she declined to show up which forced me to file a small claim yesterday.  I was prepared to offer to Lori that if she wrote to all three credit agencies that the phone bill was her responsibility that I would drop the case.  She probably didn't even consider that option as she does not care about credit reports and does not need them to find a place to live, or get a job.  Her sister rents to her, and Pedro her boss doesn't run background checks.  Lori has no regard or need of credit reports or repair...but both Nesley and she used the report to smear me this year.  Sometime in the next 20 days she will receive a summons from the court announcing the case and hearing details, and I can use that information to show all three agencies that I am trying to recover their money for them. 

This summer I contacted the collections agency assigned to the bill and requested the information that I will take with me to court against Lori.  In the meantime 2 credit agencies have the dispute and I am on my way to getting this blemish off my credit report.  It would not happen if I did nothing and just let it go as Lori's police friend (retired) seems to think I should do.  The recent eviction has not shown up on my credit report yet and it is my hope that if and when we go back to trial, I can convince a jury that it was a retaliatory eviction and possibly get it taken off as well.

Those of you who know me well, know I would rather be doing art than going to court.  I would rather be taking care of a cat colony.  I would rather have a V8 so the saying goes.  But of course, I am not gonna let someone....ANYONE shit on me and just walk away.  They think they beat me down, by threatening to evict and then actually evicting me.  But what they really did was set themselves up for claims and counterclaims and future dealings with me.  I am not sure I have ever encountered more stupid people in my life.  They actually think I will quit.  I don't quit.  Winners don't quit, and quitters don't win.  If I lose in court, I will still come after them.  "I got ways".  I am thankful there are delightful treats and distractions like Block's Bagels to reward myself for what I have to go through in order to teach my enemies to go bother somebody else next time.

Farrell's Pool Hall

In my recent wanderings I have come across many picturesque potential backdrops.  This one reminds me of some of the backdrops that Bonie Bolen has done for Tradfest and Columbus Blues Festivals in the past.  This old building called Farrell's Pool Hall is located on 2nd Street in Frazeysburg Ohio 5 miles south of my sisters house.  In it's day, "the pool hall" was a thriving small business and community hub.  It was a place where teenagers could hang out and try their skills at a game that requires both physical and mental skill.  Replaced in most places by internet cafe's, fast food joints, and so called skill games businesses, this spot reminds us of a slower lifestyle that may make a comeback in future times when cheap oil tempers industrial endless growth, and people just need a place to hang out and interact in person.  No doubt this area is rich with these historical gems.  I look forward to discovering some of them and hopefully uncovering some good story's to go with them.

Post Script:  Thanks to Sheila Murry for the correct spelling of Farrell's

Farewell To Frijolito Farm For Now

The other day as I was packing up to move, Wayne and his daughter Amalie were out planting garlic. Since that day, I have been chasing the picture and easy does it image of them.  There should be a tarot card gesturing hoeing up the dirt somewhere in the deck!  I am safe and sound for the next few days, my belongings in storage and my cat Syd at my sisters confined to a bedroom away from her 5 cats for safe keeping.  I had so hoped to plant garlic somewhere this year and am more than a little sad that I am not living next door to the chicken farm (Frinjolito Farm) this winter.  But is "hard to keep a good woman down" as the saying goes and I am busy compiling pictures of the damage to my equipment, tools, setting up soldering operations,  preparing for round two in eviction court where we settle for a monetary judgement, and catching up on this blog!  I got to my sisters house just in time to process and freeze a few peppers before the frost and we are now looking forward to a Thanksgiving feast at the end of the month.  Time flies when it is not dragging (you can quote me on that).   Wayne and Mayda showed me a few things this year and I am grateful to have been their neighbor.  One of my fondest memories that I didn't take a picture of was Wayne mowing the fence line with a scythe in about 20 minutes flat  without breaking a sweat, and as he pointed out,"when can you remember ever having a conversation with a neighbor while the neighbor mowed?"  I had to agree.  There was none of that loud obnoxious gas fumed Saturday morning ritual that usually involves repairing some part of the mower, storing it and scraping the grass from the undercarriage.  I am always glad to see a better way of doing things as an example rather than just reading about it in a book, even if the way is an old way rather than a modern convenience.  Wayne and Mayda are the real deal and I will miss them.  It was a tough year at Frijolito Farm as the growing season was about 12 months late, Wayne lost his regular supplier of sawdust, had tiller problems as well as trouble with his truck.  I took a load of chickens to St. Stevens food pantry that the farm donated one day, and thought it was more than a little ironic that I had to use St. Stevens 2 months prior for my own personal emergency.  Of course they thought I was a client, and were delighted that I was there to transport the donation of several coolers full of frozen chickens instead of sitting in their waiting room for hours for a bag of food and assistance paying my heat bill!  I was glad to be part of the process that day, and wish I could have participated more in the doings of the farm.  Our ancestors, like the Shinglers, were constantly repairing, sharpening, and replacing their tools, equipment and adapting to the weather patterns.  They were in touch with the earth and her processes in ways that are compartmentalized in modern society.  I have photographs of them, and some of those photos reveal tired people who looked back at the camera with defiance and pride.  I have inherited some of that resolute willfulness that caused them to succeed when they were up against it, I confess.  I pull on that strength and hope today as I make my way on the road to "Kingdom Come".  I travel that road with gratitude, and knowing that I couldn't have made it this far without my friends and family that supported me through hard times and wickedness directed my way.  What a wondrous place this earth is with all its creatures and features.  I will be back to Columbus this week to tie up some loose ends and get some balls rolling, and hopefully be able to stop by and visit my old neighbors and find out what is next in the urban cycle of things at Frijolito Farm.  I think Wayne and Mayda will be busy preparing their Woodland house this winter, and I sure hope I can move back near them by spring and see how the garlic is coming, and the kids are growing.