I enjoy tinkering with odd jobs around the house.  Building this, repairing that, replacing those, painting these.  (Almost) nothing is more satisfying than stepping back from a job well done, admiring the job well done, and saying "That's a job well done."  Or so I'm told… maybe someday I will experience this for myself.

You see, there is usually a lot of work between starting a job from the job jar and that gratifying moment when you can step back and admire your handiwork.  It's the stuff that fills that portion of the project that I often have difficulty finding the gumption to work on.  And even at that, it's only the final 10% that eludes my attention.  I know what you are thinking… he's a lazy son-of-a-gun, eh?  No, that's not it.  I have all kinds of energy to start another job before the last one is finished.  I have gobs of odd jobs started, material purchased, and plans made for projects that won't see progress until I get around to it.  Round tuits are rare around these parts. 

For instance, I built a deck shortly after we bought our house in Moncton, but never finished the stairs going to the back yard…  That same deck a year later still doesn't have the stairs finished.  My intention was to build stairs that would get wider as they got closer to the ground but I didn't get "round tuit".  Finally, after three years, the job got done.  I have many other jobs that have followed and probably will follow that same pattern.  My wife can testify to that.  (Yes, darling, I'll reattach the baseboard in the living room that I detached while doing the hardwood six years ago when I get a round to it.)

In my experience, round tuits are equally hard to come by when they are needed to start other initiatives such as diets, exercise regimes, and other self-improvement resolutions.

Current To Do list for incomplete jobs:

• Nail down baseboards in living room (after hardwood flooring job)
• Refit baseboards in kitchen entrance way (after flooring in kitchen)
• Remove carpet on stairs and refinish (after Rec Room reno)
• Build cupboards in storage room (after basement reno)
• Put ceiling up in storage room (after basement reno)
• Put shelves in cold room (temporary ones in place now)
• Fix bedroom door (it rubs on the frame since the carpet was laid)
• Clean and organize shed (my wife hates this one!)
• Complete walkway in back yard (I borrowed a concrete form a year ago!)
• Learn the guitar (I bought a guitar 2 or three years ago)
• Learn French (I bought "teach yourself french" CD's two years ago)
• Complete the rest of this To Do list (I'm too embarrassed to continue on-line!)

Sometimes things you read strike you in a funny way.

Facebook, a social networking site, is growing in popularity.  It seems as if everyone and their dog is on there.  It has allowed people to connect with long lost friends and relatives and know every mundane detail of their lives.  Folks update their current status with short one-liners attached to their profile.  This can be interesting and informative, but often just a little too much detail for my comfort.

• Bob is at his kid's hockey tournament
• Judy is feeling groovy
• Mark is going to the mall
• Steve is taking a shit
• Steve has run out of toilet paper
• Steve almost had a shit when he saw the price of TP at the corner store
• Lisa is alone in her house and thinks she forgot to lock the door

But sometimes, it can be downright funny. 

I got a email today from Facebook.  It read:

Donna says that you two are married on Facebook.  We need you to confirm that you are, in fact, married to Donna.

I gotta ask… does declining to confirm this Facebook request annul the marriage?    Anyone wanna bet that declining at least initiates an interesting conversation?  I don't think I'll risk it.  I'm going to confirm the request.  Facebook has a right to know.

Seems as if all my posts these days are birthday posts.  I've been wondering if I should put birthday wishes aside, or summarize them in single, monthly posts or something.  It's a dangerous thing, wishing "happy birthday" to people… next thing you know, you have left someone out, or you post an unflattering picture, or two and folks get pissed or miffed or even entertained, God forbid.

But before I make any drastic changes, I have to ensure that I put due effort into the two special birthday babies in my life who were born on June 23.  So, here goes. 

Happy Birthday to Mary Williams, my darling mother-in-law.  If you are counting on a great batch of homemade bread, or flipper pie, Mary's your gal.  For a young woman in her 70's, she certainly has a lot of energy.  She can run circles around most men I know half her age.  I think it's her energy that keeps Harry young.  Happy Birthday, Mary.  I hope your day is a special one.

Next, another very special birthday wish.  This one goes to my cousin Bill Rose, who turns 40 today.  I really should call him my brother…  we grew up together.  Our birthdays are only a couple of months apart.  We practiced (and perfected) our delinquency together, got into trouble together, we sometimes even kicked the shit out of each other.  He really is a special kind of guy and in more ways than one, he makes me feel VERY lucky.  You see, he was unfortunate enough to be inflicted with Huntington's Disease.  (I've posted about Huntington's in my family before.)  He was always a very strong person, active in sports, active socially, well-liked and popular.  For most inflicted with this disease, it starts manifesting itself when they are in their 40s and 50s.  For Bill, it hit in his 30s, I think maybe even in his 20s.  Not fair, not fair at all.  Anyways… enough of that.  This post is about celebration… Happy Birthday Bill!  Have a beer for me!   (Or I'll have one for you!)

Ronnie sounds so young, doesn't it?  It's as much Ronnie to you now as my name is Stevie, eh?  You are tolerant of those of us who are in the habit of calling you "Ronnie", but you probably prefer "Ron", I suspect.

Or, you don't care either way and I'm just typing this stuff in for filler on the blog, wha?

Either way, bud, Happy Birthday!!!

From left to right, Melissa, Deb, Ron, and the birthday boy Ronnie. 

Just like to wish a very happy birthday to a buddy of mine, Paul.  He turned 40 today and in my opinion he doesn't look a day over 50. 

His wife, Maureen, arranged for a surprise party for him today at another friend's house.  As with all surprise parties, there must be a distraction, a bait and switch of sorts.  The person must believe he is setting out to go somewhere unrelated to any possible party-like situation only to find himself in the midst of a heart-stopping "SURPRISE" when he least expects it.  Well, Maureen's distraction was telling Paul that they were going to Montana's restaurant to celebrate his birthday and that maybe a few friends would join them.  Behind the scenes, Maureen was making arrangements for the surprise at Guy's house.  In the meantime, Paul was inviting folks to join them at Montana's to celebrate his special day.  What would have been funny is if Paul had invited someone to Montana's that Maureen hadn't invited to the party.  Some loser would show up at a restaurant where there was no party only to discover that they weren't invited to the REAL party!  Ha! That would be funny… some loser sitting around waiting for a party to show up.  Funny… on a side note, I really enjoyed the food at Montana's tonight.

A couple of times tonight, when we made fun of Paul for turning 40, he clearly stated that he was STILL younger than most of us.  Listen here you young whipper-snapper… the secret to longevity is to not piss off your elders! 

Happy Birthday, dude.  May you live to be a hundred, and may I be there to celebrate it with you.

From the bible (King James version, Job XV7):

"Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?"

I don't know about that, but I do know that these teeth are five years older today than when I took the picture!

Happy Birthday Jerry, you saucy old fucker!