Demolition Man

 I fancy myself more of a builder.   An artist and creator...  Rather than a demo man.   Demolition falls more under my brother's category rather than mine.  (Then again, he did build corvettes at GM.   But really, fast cars are for people who are trying to destroy something in the most dramatic way possible. So... Still applies.) 

Today I have been demo-ing my basement.   I actually started last week sometime with the floor.  You see,   we had some serious rain a few weeks ago.   And the Basement got a little flooded.  I figured I could simply dry it out with a fan, but after several hours of nothing, I decided to pull out the trusty Shop Vac.   

55 gallons later!   I concluded that something has to be done about the basement.   And that something means I have to install a Sump Pump. 

And that means that I have to first clean and clear up the basement so I can install such a thing.  I knew that it would only take a small thread of some issue to be pulled for the entire "fabric" of the basement to begin to unwind.   Whoever worked on this basement before really had no clue what they were doing.   I say this as someone who have the most BASIC of knowledge when it comes to understanding plumbing and basic carpentry.   Even I know this guy had no clue!

That being said,  it looks like construction that Eric and I would have done back when we were 12 or 13.  Everything is nailed together...  with the nails being bent over for "extra support".   Drywall is used as "walls" with no support or backing.  Electrical cables are dangling about with no apparent purpose.  

Now I have build furniture before.   And I would be the first ot concede that I am no "master" when it comes to assembling shelving and cupboards.   But nailing hinges together is a whole other level of "What the Heck were you thinking???"  (Check out this Railroad Spike!)  I guess farmers used the methods and tools they had available at the time.   With a limited skill set to apply that knowledge as well.  I should be impressed that they were able to turn this barn into a livable space.  

And so the demo begins!   I have already removed the tile flooring, because the water had already pushed up most of the tiles from the concrete.  I purchased a hammer drill to aid me, but in the end, I used a hammer and crowbar for all of it.   It was not that difficult, but it was a very hot job.  

With the tile gone,  I began work on the number of random shelving units that cluttered the area.  I also removed the water damaged vintage paneling that was all the rage back in the '70's.  My guess is the guy must have wanted to have a "finished" basement with a bar.   And then,  after the first rain completely destroyed all of his efforts,   he abandoned it to the elements.   Including cutting several wires to unknown destinations.   

Even now,  I am very cautious on what I want to remove.  Several pipe are still filled with wires!  And I am not sure if they are actually live or not!  

 "Do no harm" is my motto....  Especially to myself!   Because I am the only one here and there is no one else to call for emergency in the event I fry myself.  

In the end,  I managed to remove more wood and crap than I have space for in my garbage can... so I am pretty much done until tuesday... when the Garbage Man comes to empty it out.   Until then... I just have to pile it up and hope there is room for another bin.  

I also cleaned the paint off of the Glass Block Windows.   The previous owner painted them black!   (Um.. Why?)   The entire point of the glass block window is to let light in and not allow anyone to peep inside. 

  But I guess if you want a gloomy Self Made Bar vibe,  you gotta paint the windows black.   

Or if you are hiding a Vampire... or Creepy Torture chamber.  

Just kidding.   I have not encountered any hauntings from any ghosts or undead spirits.  So I know the bad Bar idea... Though STUPID!   Was not intended for Evil cult-like rituals.   (unless  getting hammered in your ameture DIY basement is evil...) 

Anyway,   The knocking down of the walls "really Opens up the space!"   To coin a Changing Spaces line.  ( Does anyone remember that show?) I'm sure the idea for closing everything off was probably a good one at the time, but now it just made everything feel cluttered and sloppy.  Not to mention the water damage,  possible black mold, and rodent living arrangements.   

Speaking of rodents!   I did not find any.   Yet!   But there is plenty of evidence that they have been here previously.   And it is possible that my cat has been playing a role in keeping them hidden or absent.  

 The only creepy crawlies I discovered were the House Centipedes.  ( LOTS of them!)  That probably explains the lack of spiders down there.  I actually like House centipedes just for that reason.  (They eat spider... and Earwigs) 

I'm thinking I could burn the wood rather than fill my dumpster with all this crappy lumber.  I have a firepit in the back, though I it will probably take several days of burning to get through all of these 2X4's.   And the rain today does not really help much.   Bit a little at a time and maybe the neighbors will not complain.  

That is all for now.  Last week flew by!  And I worked Saturday so today was my only day of "rest"   And now even that is mostly over.   Time to wrap this up so I can relax for the remaining hours before I head back to work tomorrow.   Time is so fleeting...  That is why we have to make every second count. 

No Chanterelles.... But The Russulas Are in!

 A  "quick" post on the activities of my life.   And a few of the things I have been skipping out on over the last month.   I know I was going to post "progress Reports" of the Cat Pole Project.   Well....   Over the one weekend where I had a full two days,   I just up and finished it.  

I don't hate it, but it definitely is not what I was visualizing in my head. ( they never are...)    At least the cat has jumped in it a couple of times. 

(She jumps out the moment I reach for the Camera....)  And I am already thinking on ways I can improve on the next design.  ( All those "Wrong Paths" and Headaches I can skip over and avoid....)  We learn by Doing!   

And the reason experts seem like masters is because of the endless failures they had to overcome.   Too bad it takes a life time to figure that out. ( Something School can't really teach you.) 

I have been mushroom hunting at least one day each week this month... In the hopes of finding the Chanterelles that pop up this time of year.    "Unfortunately"   I have found more Chicken Of The Woods this year than I remember!   ( A nice way to be disappointed...)  I finally finished the last of the Chickens last night.   And I still have a freezer bag filled with frozen ones in the freezer.   Still,  I enjoy the search. 

Last week I found Boletes!  Most of them were already past their prime, but I managed to harvest a couple small ones.  There were also a lot of Waxy Caps.

I love Waxy caps.   They are so pretty...  And I have eaten a number of them without getting sick.   Apparently,   a few of the "redish" ones can make the tummy hurt...  So either I have a tolerance/ immunity;  They are WRONG in their assessments:  OR I just rolled the dice and lucked out.  

 It is possible that all three are true. I have knowingly ate mushrooms that are "toxic" and lived to tell the tale without any of those nasty issues.  (Usually vomiting and diarrhea...) 

I have certainly eaten a lot of mushrooms over my life ( and other "junk" that possibly armors me up against "bad Food")  And I know that many of those books error on the side of caution rather than telling people something is safe only to have "Vegans and Glutton-Free" people issue complaints.   

It is also possible that I correctly ID'ed it and was able to enjoy the satisfaction of a successful Mycology Knowledge Base!

All Bragging and ranting aside,   I found a BUNCH of Russulas yesterday.   (Well... At least a Basket full.)   I LOVE these guys! 

They come in all colors of the rainbow!  Green, red, purple, yellow...  Even black!   

And I have eaten them all!   The trick... And probably the reason I like them so much, is that you have to "Taste" them to correctly ID them.   Take a small bite,   Roll it on your tongue, and spit it out.   IF it is bad... You will taste either bitter, Sharp, or hot pepper taste.   If not.. It is Edible. 

There are over 3000 species of this type of mushroom.   They are called BRITTLEGILLS for a reason.   They crumble very easily and break like chalk.  After a while, you can Id them just by that.  ( At least against other mushrooms... You still have to taste them to see if they are good) A Fun Find. 

Yesterday.  I found the Bare-toothed Russula.   A BIG ONE!  The App that I have positively Confirmed my ID. 

Actually I found several and ate them yesterday for lunch.   The taste like almonds or cherries.  PErsonally I find ALL of the Russulas excelling in flavor over most of the other mushrooms.   Chanterelles and Chickens have flavor, but they also have a texture that is cool.   Brittlegills are a lot like Morels.   They have a flavor that sets them apart. ( My opinion.)  

I realize that lots of people would probably disagree with me, and that is fine.   I know what I think and have experienced.   So I will continue harvesting and eating them... And singing their Praise. 

Just like Last night... If you missed it,  There was a Lunar Eclipse!   And here in Kenosha,  We had PERFECT viewing weather!    

The full-est part of the  eclipse was supposed to happen just before we got out of work around 11:20 or so.  I saw the small sliver leading up and must have missed the full eclipse by just a few minutes.... But those things are over so quickly and unlike the Solar eclipse,  you can look right at it and watch it happen.   

At least there are a few other "Nerds" working at the Haribo.   Even people who did not follow things like that were able to check it out when we told them about it.   A small bit of the mysteries of the world. 

This post is getting long, so I will skip the part of the "Basement Renovation"   Hopefully I will have more pics of that than the Cat Tree Project.    I just have to remember to stop, take a break,  snap a picture now and then, and make every second count.

Back Home!

 It was a fun three days with dave in Toronto.   Granted, I did not do much other than take in the atmosphere.   Which is fine, because I really did not know what to expect.  

 I considered this more of an "exploratory Mission" than a full blown vacation.  That being said,  here is what we did over the next couple days...

Dave's Cross Fit people were throwing a "Hungry Hippo" meal with friends and family.   It was one of those events that Dave got to experience when he first arrived in Toronto and thought that that would be a great way to get to know the culture on a personal level.   Better than fighting a huge crowd downtown or signing up for an event with standing room only.  

The guy (Vy,   I believe was his name.) had just come back from Alaska with a bunch of Halibut and wanted to share the success.  I think he is of Vietnamese and Japanese heritage and wanted to cook up the fish several different ways.  

Bacon wrapped halibut cubes fried up in Olive Oil.   The wraps had peppers and green onions with some seasonings.   Breathtakingly delicious!   Especially if you got one of the bites with the pepper!   The heat was just enough to set your mouth on fire... and nothing else.) 

Miso soup with Enoki mushrooms and steamed Halibut.   Light  and slightly salty...   Miso is always a wonderful addition to any fish meal. 

And lastly,   Smoked  Halibut steak on Rice.  I can't remember if there was a sauce.   It was light and subtle in flavor.  There were cucumber salad, grilled Octopus and a cabbage mix you could add to the rice for texture and sweetness if you wanted.   Wonderful!

I liked that it was like dining with Family.... And there were no rules.   One of the ladies, ( can't remember names...  Carol maybe?)  Was a wonderful host and with no words, showed us how to serve things up without being formal.   In other words:  "Caveman Style!"   You move your bowl over to the dish and just shovel stuff in.   Or grab things with your hands.   Similar to how we enjoyed the Bluegills at Ed's two weekends ago.   

Vy showed us his Alaska Video from the fishing trip.   It  was a short vid of them catching and cooking fish.  He edited it down to the exciting bits... as if the video was going on to YouTube.   The girls played cards and the rest of us told stories about Alaska.  It was a fun evening out. 

I found the Church service at the Toronto church to be very similar to the Reach service at New Life here in Kenosha.   Dave showed me around the "campus" area of the church and the gardens that the congregation members had built. 

  I had to snap a few pics because I liked seeing the layout  and ideas of how to save space.   So much produced in such a small area!  

I headed back after the service and got hit hard by the thunderstorms that were predicted for Sunday.   The rain was similar to Iowa in that it would be sunny, but then come down so violently that many people had to pull over!   

I didn't, ( because I have a Subaru!)  But I definitely had to slow down a bit.  Mostly because visibility was near zero.  

But I survived!  And I think it took only 10 hours to get back.  (Even with a half hour nap I took near Winsor)  Going through Chicago at night is far better than during the noon rush!   

After a day of recovery,  I now am getting ready to head back to the Haribo.   By the way,  I found the New Candies at one of the Meyer Gas Stations in Michigan.   I took a pic but did not purchase any because I'm sure we will be swimming in them within a year from now.   They are unique in texture from the usual Gummies.   And I think they have potential to be a huge hit once people discover them for the first time.  

Time to wrap this up and get ready.   Time is so fleeting and precious... I have to make every second count.