I really thought that the week was going to calm down a little bit.
That was before #1 Son’s computer started having what we in the vaguely techie business like to call issues. When in need, #1 Son always calls Mom’s Tech Support. This particular incident ended up requiring a complete wipe of the hard drive and reinstall of XP, and there were driver issues and… I won’t bore you with the details. But it took time.
And then there was the little incident where the nice officer on the lovely motorcycle stopped me as I was on my way home from dropping the fur kids off at the Cat B&B. He informed me that I’d just been doing 30 in a school zone. I’m usually very, very careful about that. In my defense, it was a high school that sits way back from the main street. It was the middle of the morning and no children were anywhere to be seen. And I admit to a bit of distraction as I tried to figure out how to cram 3 days of activities into about 8 hours.
I banged my head against my fortunately knit cozy clad steering wheel while the nice officer wrote out a ticket.
And then I ended up sort of needing a second root canal. The good news is that now the pain is all gone. But it took time. Actually, more time than usual.
I have a very tiny mouth. (No comments from you out there in the peanut gallery.) But it turns out that I have deep roots and a lot of nerve. So it takes a bit of doing to make sure I don’t feel anything while the whole root canal procedure is being performed. And that takes time. But with that finally accomplished, Dr. P was happily reaming out my tooth, and I was happily ignoring the whole thing as I lay there with what feels like a balloon pressed against my mouth and drool running down my chin, when the light went out.
You know. That light that the dentist shines in your face so that the inside of your mouth is lit up? That light. It went out. The. Light. Went. Out.
After a stunned silence, a mad flurry of activity ensued as everyone in the office tried to change the light bulb. (I just know there’s a really good joke in there.) It turns out that those light thingies are quite complicated mechanisms and you have to practically take the whole thing apart just to change this itsy bitsy light bulb. And the person in the office who used to change all of the light bulbs because she just loooooved doing it so much had retired the month before. And nobody was really sure of the best approach.
It was suggested that I be moved to the next room. But the room wasn’t ready and it was announced that in that room the brain wouldn’t boot up. I have no idea what that meant. But I really had no desire to be in a room where the brain wouldn’t boot while my mouth was under construction.
As the mad flurry whirled around, Dr. P (love this man) calmly continued with his business, mostly by feel and with the help of a little hand held fiber optic spot light. I lay in the chair, drool dripping from my chin and laughing at the absurdity. Because, really, what else could I do?
Eventually Dr. P reached the point in the whole operation where more light became necessary. What are you doing? he asked the light bulb changers.
It’s difficult to do and you have to use this spreader and it’s hard to get it in the right place. was the reply, in a tone that said you obviously have no idea how to do this or you would understand.
Dr. P stood up. Give me the screwdriver. And he started in trying to take the thing apart.
I have been taking things apart and putting them back together since I could hold a screwdriver, and I desperately wanted to get up and get in on the fun. But, all things considered, I decided it was safer to stay where I was and watch from the sidelines. Eventually the old bulb was removed, the new bulb was inserted and the light fixture was returned to a fairly usable state. Dr. P finished up his business, my tooth was reconstructed in a temporary sort of way, drool was wiped off my chin and I was off back to the races.
I ran home, threw a few more driver disks at #1 Son, threw a load of laundry in the washer, and headed out the door to Westside Wednesday Sip ‘N’ Stitch because I really felt that, all things considered, I deserved at least a short bit of knitting with my peeps. I had decided that I would just plead guilty to the traffic ticket (remember the ticket? – that was before the root canal) and make it go away. So, carefully following instructions, I signed the ticket, wrote out a check, tucked both inside an envelope addressed to the correct location. And just as I stuffed it into the slot in the mail box and it left my grasp never to be recovered, I realized that I’d sort of forgotten to put a stamp on it.
Yeah. It was just that kind of week.
But today is ever so much better. The pic is of the view out my back door yesterday afternoon. I am at Cat Bordhi’s annual visionary retreat, where I am surrounded by amazing people in this gorgeous setting and my creative juices are flowing. And I may even get some work done on the book. But blogging, I’m afraid, may be sporadic for the next few days. I could tell you all about the retreat and who’s here and all, but then I’d have to kill you or something because it’s all a deep, dark secret and very mysterious and blah, blah, blah. (It’s actually a lot of hard work.) But I will try to blog more from Madrona, where I will attempt to Kennear all kinds of famous people — maybe even the Yarn Harlot!


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Here’s a try
socket drivers of various sizes (5)
13 Phillips head screwdrivers
cordless drill
calipers
set of allen wrenches (8)
ballpeen hammer
duct tape
packing tape
adjustable crescent wrench
wire cutter
and i’m guessing here–an ice cream maker
Remark from Susan — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 12:52 PM
Oh, fun! And I’m tool impaired.
Here goes, counter-clockwise from 9 o’clock:
5 socket drivers
duct tape
packing tape
ball-peen hammer
calipers
8 Allen keys on an O-ring (as a bonus, if you don’t have a bottle opener, the o-ring can be used to open a bottle of beer — so it too can be classified as a tool!)
3 screwdrivers
pliers
drill
wrench
and the tough one — I’m going to guess an apple press
Pass or fail?
2Remark from Dave — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 1:42 PM
Hmmm…having someone already put them in the comments makes it tricky, eh? All of the above EXCEPT I’m going to say compass (no, scribe!) instead of calipers, an oil can rather than apple press and…I think the green-handled thingies are pruning shears of some kind?
3Remark from Lynn in Tucson — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 2:30 PM
Let’s give it a try:
Eight piece set of allen wrenches on a ring
ball-peen hammer
duct tape
packing tape
calipers
tin snips
Phillips head screwdriver
Flat head screwdriver
Allen head screwdriver
cordless drill with drill bit
5 socket drivers in pretty colors
adjustable wrench
and an old bucket with lid, crank and spigot (interesting piece)
Happy holidays!
4Remark from Kathy — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 2:45 PM
Yes, I thought of that after I clicked [Publish]. But there seems to be a fair bit of variability in answers so far. So we shall see. If you all get it right or wrong then I’ll just draw from everyone. So, no worries.
5Remark from Judy — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 3:25 PM
Ok, here’s my try!
1 roll Duct tape
1 roll Packing tape
1 Ball peen hammer
5 nut drivers in different sizes
8 pc set of Allen wrenches
1 scribe/dividers
1 pair tin snips
1 Crescent wrench
1 Hex screw driver
1 Phillips screw driver
1 Standard/flat screw driver
1 Cordless electric drill
1 parts cleaner or carburetor washer/cleaner
Thanks, this was fun
6Remark from Amber — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 5:01 PM
Ok here goes:
75 socket wrenches
1 roll duct tape
1 roll strapping tape
1 ball peen hammer
1 set calipers
2 phillips head screwdrivers
1 flat head screwdriver
8 allen wrenches
1 cordless drill with bit
1 pair tin snips
1 adjustable crescent wrench
1 separator of some sort that I can’t quite figure out.
Remark from Duffy — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 6:33 PM
1 pair tin snips
81 cordless drill
1 pair dividers
1 roll duck tape
1 roll packaging tape
1 ball pean (peen?) hammer
Set of 8 Alan Wrenches
3 assorted screw drivers
1 adjustable wrench
5 socket drivers
1 cider press (?)
Remark from Caroline — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 7:43 PM
1 roll duct tape
91 roll clear packaging tape
1 ball peen hammer
8 allen wrenches of graduated sizes
3 phillips head screwdrivers
1 crescent wrench
1 cordless drill
1 pair of aviation snips
5 nut drivers of graduated sizes
1 pair of dividers
1 paint mixer
for a total of 24 tools.
Remark from Bonnie — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 8:44 PM
OK, I’ll bite! And I’m going to try and do it without looking at the other comments…
* 1 roll duct tape
* 1 roll packing tape
* 5 socket drivers in various pretty colors
* 1 large bucket/vat that I think must be a cider press
* 1 cordless drill
* 1 adjustable wrench (or spanner, if not from the US)
* 3 screwdrivers – I think they are all phillips head, but I can’t tell with the small orange handled one
* 1 green handled tool that could be bypass pruners, but it’s hard to tell with the black-handled screwdriver over the important bit!
* 8 allen wrenches on a ring
* 1 ball peen hammer
* 1 compass
And can I just say I love how colorful all these tools are!
10Remark from Karen C. — Thursday, 12/18/2008 @ 9:26 PM
Have to try!
-3 standard or metric nut drivers (red, orange, green handles)(set is usually 7 ranging for standard -3/16 In., 1/4 In., 5/16 In., 11/32 In., 3/8 In., 7/16 In., and 1/2 In. or metric – 5mm, 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 11mm)
11-1 torx socket (yellow-black handle)
-1 hex square socket (black handle)
-duct tape roll
-pack tape roll
-ball pein hammer
-compass (though it does kind of look like a caliper)
-8 allen wrenches on ring (sized either – 1/16″, 5/64″, 3/32″, 1/8″, 5/32″, 3/16″, 7/32″ and 1/4″ or 1.5MM, 2MM, 2.5MM, 3MM, 4MM, 5MM, 5,5MM and 6MM)
-phillips screwdriver (black handle)
-torx screwdriver (yellow-black handle)
-slotted (aka ‘flat’) screwdriver (yellow handle) but can’t really see the head so a guess
-cordless drill with drill bit
-crescent wrench
-metal shears (AKA tin snips)
-glue pot (honestly my husband’s guess)
Remark from Tami — Friday, 12/19/2008 @ 12:01 AM
ball peen hammer
12roll of duct tape
roll of packing tape
8 hex keys of assorted sizes
cordless drill
5 socket wrenches of assorted sizes
calipers
adjustable crescent wrench
hex screwdriver
phillips head screwdriver
flat screwdriver
pair of wire cutters/strippers
paint mixer
Remark from Alison — Friday, 12/19/2008 @ 1:33 AM
Well, darn! I posted a reply last night between 10:30 and 11 and it has not appeared. So, here it goes again:
1 roll duct tape
131 roll clear packing tape
1 ballpeen hammer
8 allen wrenches of graduated sizes
3 phillips head screw drivers of graduated sizes
1 adjustable crescent wrench
1 cordless drill
1 pair of aviation snips
5 nut drivers of graduated sizes
1 pair of dividers
and 1 paint mixer
for a total of 24 tools
Remark from Bonnie — Friday, 12/19/2008 @ 5:35 AM
1 roll of duct tape
141 roll of scotch/cello/packing tape (relative sizes were hard to guess)
1 ballpeen hammer
1 set of calipers
1 adjustable crescent wrench
1 cordless power drill with drill bit
1 pair of tin snips
8 allen wrenches on a split ring
4 socket drivers (fixed)
1 interchangeable socket driver (possibly ratcheted)
1 phillips head screwdriver
1 /awl/pick
1 torx driver
1 vintage mystery tool… paint mixer?
that’s 24 total
Remark from Claire Piper — Friday, 12/19/2008 @ 10:19 AM
I’ll play!
15ball peen hammer
duct tape
strapping tape
5 nut drivers
adjustable wrench
tin snips
set of 8 Allen wrenches on a ring
compass
cordless drill
3 screwdrivers, Phillips head I think, hard to see
and the last thing, an antique sausage stuffer?
Remark from Holly — Friday, 12/19/2008 @ 6:15 PM
The prize package is totally sweet; too bad I suck at identifying tools!
16Remark from sharon — Saturday, 12/20/2008 @ 12:44 AM
my list
17cordless drill
wire strippers
allen wrench set
electrician tape
masking tape
socket driver set
screw drivers
ballpeen hammer
calipers
butter churn
JoLynn
Remark from JoLynn — Saturday, 12/20/2008 @ 2:39 PM
OK, I’ll give this a try …
1 cordless drill
1 ball peen hammer
1 hex wrench set (8 sizes)
1 pair wire cutters (could be pruning shears. Hard to tell since tip is obscured by screwdriver handles)
3 screwdrivers (probably phillips, but can’t tell if they’re all the same)
1 pair calipers (may be a compass)
1 adjustable wrench
1 roll duct tape
1 roll packing tape
5 sizes of a Nutdriver Set (“technical term” based on search of sears.com. I was going to call these “socket wrenches.)
and my guess for the big rusty metal thing? I’m saying oil can.
FWIW, I compiled my list on paper before looking at any of the other comments. Thanks for the unique contest!
Is it ironic that the one thing I really wanted to ask for for Xmas was a good toolbox with basic DIY tools? Didn’t ask ’cause nobody would have just known what I’d need (but neither do i!)
18Remark from amy — Sunday, 12/21/2008 @ 6:36 PM