Christmas Memories

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My parents put up two Christmas trees, one huge 12" tree in the living room, then a smaller tree in the basement. I always help put up the big tree and decorate the house, but Mom and Dad do the basement tree. Usually Christmas is such a whirlwind event that I don't really get to spend much time looking at all of the ornaments on the little tree.

Well this year my parents are working on a big remodeling project so decided not to put up the huge upstairs tree so they will be ready to start construction at a moment's notice. So, I ended up hanging all of the ornaments on the basement tree. That tree includes lots of handmade ornaments, including this little gem from 1973 painted by yours truly.

Waxing Poetic

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OK, I think I need to lay off the word play...

After checking out the cutting boards last night I realized I had done a better sanding job than I realized. All I did was burnish them with a Scotch Brite pad and apply a coat of Perennial wood wax. The colors really pop now and the cherry should darken with age.

I am very pleased with out these turned out, but the being the perfectionist that I am there are a few spots where the grain of the wood tore out and a few bug holes in a couple of the walnut strips. These will drive me nuts for a while, but eventually I will start looking at the entire board, not just the imperfections in the natural wood.

Plain Cutting Boards

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Well not that kind of plain, plane–as in I needed to smooth the surfaces of my laminated boards.

I spent a few hours at Perennial this afternoon planing and sanding my cutting boards. Also cooked up some of their custom wood wax while I was there. I'll probably give them another once over with a scotchbrite pad then wax them tomorrow. I'm so excited to see the colors come out.

Second Hello Fresh Meal

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Again it was delicious, tri tip steak, couscous, red bell pepper, spinach with chimichurri. So far so good from Hello Fresh.

First Hello Fresh Meal

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Have to say it was delicious, porkchop with balsamic cherry glaze, with roasted potatoes and broccoli. Great first meal from Hello Fresh.

Cutting Board Crazy

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I'm on a roll. Glued up three of the four cutting boards I laid out last night. I would have done the fourth, but I ran out of glue. Once I get the fourth one done, then I will head back to Perennial on a community workshop day to plane then.

Cutting Board Worshop

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Day one of my cutting board class at Perennial here in St. Louis. Wood strips glued up and clamped (I did eventually clean up as much of the squeeze-out) until next week's final class. I am very excited to see how the different colors of wood–ash, oak, walnut and osage (where hedge apples come from) come out after oiling/waxing.