Theia

Jace's little sister.

 

Mayes

Jace's little brother.

 

Gunnar

The neighbors already have another grandchild after this little man.

\Have two more to do in the next year, one for Wheaton the other for Mableton.

Lillian

This is for the granddaughter of good friends.

Bryce

I usually try to finish these by Christmas, that way folks can be surprised in a way the kids enjoy.
This for the grandson of an excellent assistant at my former company.

At first I wasn't at all happy with the finish of the stain, a red over a brown, but when the laquer was applied it looked better than most. Haven't met the boy, hope he enjoys it.

Gigi

This puzzle finished just in the nick of time for Christmas. The star being as small as it is was a pain to fit, ended up wedging it in using the justification that we do not want the piece being swallowed by a teething toddler.

Is for my neighbor's youngest and 5th grandchild.

Gwen

Another puzzle ready for Christmas delivery.
This one is for the daughter of one of the bride's former students.

Rachel

A new puzzle ready for Christmas delivery.
This is for the one year old daughter of my youngest engineer.

Winter

A new puzzle for my cousin's new daughter. The bride helped by painting the snowman.

Parker

As I get older and the next generation continues to have offspring, I find that giving gifts to these children is one of my most pleasurable things to do.  The parents are appreciative to have their kids receive uniquely personal gifts.
That makes it a lot of fun to do.
This puzzle did not come out so well because I forgot to bind it to a flat board before the layers dried. You can't see it in the picture but it warped about 1/4 inches.
  

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Darby

For the one year old daughter of my bride's niece.

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Charly

This puzzle is for Luca's first cousin.
A nice little girl who enjoys our puppy's cage.

Luca

A puzzle for the second grandson of our good next door neighbors.

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California Prison Overcrowding

In light of the recent SCOTUS decision, Blackfive makes a simple comparison, with pictures, of prison overcrowding as compared to submarine crowding.

http://www.blackfive.net/main/2011/05/cruel-and-unusual-overcrowding.html

The submariners are volunteers for their country, the prisoners are living at the expense of their countrymen.

Pack them in like the rats they are, they broke the rules of society, they should not be able to make demands on it.

Kitchen Doors

Three years ago, in an expression of largesse, we bought a new refrigerator, new clothes washer and new clothes dryer. Our kitchen has customer made cabinets and I was aware that the opening height for the refrigerator was limited.
For this reason we bought the shortest fridge in the stale my wife and I liked. Naturally, the damned thing would not fit. I took me 2 days to disassemble the cabinet from the wall, then a couple of weeks to modify the cabinet opening.

The problem created from the opening change was that the cabinet doors in that location were not 3 inches too long.
Over the last three years we spoke with three or four different men about either modifying the existing doors or making new complete.
The second to the last offered to either shorten the two doors or modify the cover molding above to make room, for $400.00. I would have paid the money, but he was trying to push us to bastardization, and I just could not get my arms around it.
Two months ago my manager at work, told me about one of his church friends that did cabinet work, a retired teacher.
I brought the two cabinet doors in to work, gave them to the boss for transfer and with a leap of faith, viola, two doors matched in color to the existing and pleased the bride. This from a man that I have yet to meet, for only $200.00. I will provide contact information to anyone who asks.

New Puzzle

This is a puzzle for a young relative.

The name, chosen by artistic parents is pronounced 'tol-e-MAY.

Ptolemy was the English name for the famous Greek astronomer Claudius Ptolemaeus. He propounded the geocentric theory in a form that prevailed for 1400 years. That is he claimed the the earth was the center of the universe. Much of Ptolemy's work in mathematics, astronomy and astrology became the foundation for Islamic and European science.

We do know that Ptolemy is center of his parent universe.

Dad is Home

Her mom waited until Dad got home so they could open the rest of Natalie's gifts.

I am glad this was saved for Ricky to share.

Alexander

• The last puzzle of the Christmas season that I have finished is for Alexander.
• This for the grandson of our next door neighbors Chuck and Michelle.

Dad Gone For Christmas

• This is for the new daughter of my wife's niece, Natalie is less than a year old.
• Dad should be home to Fort Bragg in a couple of months, but not in time for her first vist to Santa.

Runs Hot

• This is for the youngest of three next door.
• It seems like Carson has been running a mild fever since he was born. You would never know it to be in his presence, he never stops smiling. So, like a car with a bad thermostat, he just runs a little warm.
• Merry Christmas Carson.