Now We're Getting Somewhere

Well, after a couple of years of backwards progress, Chloe is finally riding like we know she can!  2 blues at Indy in her first walk/trot/canter show...and more on the way!

Too Many Mooviez

So our DVD/BluRay collection has grown to exceed our available storage capacity...

Instead of buying more overpriced junk shelves, we decide to build our own.  Moby agrees to supervise...in between naps, of course.

I measure the space we have to work with, load up SketchUp, and draw out a set of shelves.  We elect to go with a self-supporting design instead of mounting them to the walls.  Now it's off to Home Depot to buy a pile of maple boards.

I built a cross-cut jig for the table saw to guarantee square cuts.

And turn that pile of lumber into a bunch of shelf-sized boards, uprights, and rear supports.  As an added bonus, no fingers were lost in the production of this furniture.

The shelves and rear supports will attach to the uprights with dowels.  This means holes, and lots of them.

After sleeping on it for a couple of nights, I came up with this contraption, which allows holes to be drilled square to the boards quickly and consistently in the same location and to the same depth every time.

It still took a couple of days to drill all of these holes.

The hand drill worked ok for the ends of the boards, but it would not work for the uprights.  For that, I needed a drill press.  Because I had no place to put a drill press, I built a cabinet to hold it.

I drew up plans from a picture I found on the Intertoobz in SketchUp and went to work.

Now it's time to go to work on the uprights with the drill press.  I use a 1/4" Forstner bit, which makes very clean holes without damaging the wood.

More holes...

Now that we have all the boards to the right length with holes in all the right places, it's time to make the wood smooth.  I started off using saw horses...until a couple of the uprights vibrated off and fell on the asphalt driveway.  Then I bought a Black & Decker Workmate to hold each board as I worked on them.  Best $40 I ever spent.

I started with 100 grit on my small hand-held orbital sander and went through all 36 boards.  Then did it again with 120 grit, 150, 180, and finally 220.  This took three weekends working about 4 hours a day.  The results were excellent, though.

Next was assembly, which only took a couple of hours for both sets.  Only three shelves are secured with screws, which are covered with hardwood plugs.

I also made feet with rounded corners to be barefoot-friendly.

For a finish, I went with boiled linseed oil.  Just apply with a rag, then wipe off the excess after 20 minutes.  This will take 6-7 coats applied over the course of a week.   The smell brings back memories of oil painting with Nana.

Here they are after two coats.  The feet are being finished separately and will be glued on once all of the coats have been applied.

Gratuitous Dog Pimpage

 Moby in the waning days as Master of His Domain.

My nose is cold.

What the hell is that thing doing in my house?!?

I think I'm safe back here.

Zzzzzzzz...

 Can we come out and play?

 Tug of war

 Let's cut out the middle man and chew on each other.

 I have no idea what all this white stuff is or where it came from, but it sure is fun!

 I'm so happy I could just pee all over myself!

 Yes, I really do sleep this way!

Bestest friends ever

Yes, she's multi-talented

Here's Chloe horseback riding. She just won 2nd place in her first show.

Chloe's Singing Debut

I'm such a stage mom...

This gets rather long and drawn out, but you'll get the idea after the first few verses (but you should at least go thru 5).

Griffis Family Xmas Wish List

After lots of reminding (OK, I was nagging), I finally got Tony's list. So here are all of ours:

Chloe
DVD - Kung Fu Panda
DVD - Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian
DVD - Horton Hears a Who
Mini trampoline
Disney Princess stuff (check with us first)

Tony
Winter jacket
Weed Eater (electric)
Jeans
Sweatshirt - Dolphins, Braves, Gamecocks (XL)
Rain gear for work
iPod
Dale Earnhart Jr 88 Amp Car: http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_103044____SearchResults

Jenni
Book - The Other Queen (Philippa Gregory)
Programmable crock pot
DVD - Dark Knight
Coldwater Creek gift card
Portable CD/MP3 player like this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&id=pcat17071&type=page&st=sony+D-NF340&sc=Global&cp=1&nrp=15&sp=&qp=&list=n&iht=y&usc=All+Categories&ks=960

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Jackie

Sweat pants and sweater (for warmth) Walmart or K-mart brand is fine, are usually sold close to a set. Size S

Boom Box – preferably battery operated and big enough to be heard.
this or this (preferred, not too expensive )

AFGHANI CYMBALS (finger cymbals)
Brass MC-800
http://www.saroyanzils.com/

Plant stands – If possible, something that can be built, kind of like shelves.
Pyrex small measuring cup – maybe 2 cups
Steak knives

DVD Movies (these are for me and Brian):
Wanted
Hancock
Hulk (new movie)
Ironman

And a partridge in a pear tree.



Christopher

Magnet letter for refrigerator
Remote control car - cordless
Pants 5T
Shirts 5T
Thomas the train DVDs
V-Tech games for 5-6
Mittens

DVD Movies:
Wall-E
Monsters, Inc.
Kung Fu Panda
Horton Hears a Who
Lion King


Brian
Dress shirts for work 15½ (neck) – 32-33
Dress Pants 38x40
Gift Certificate to JCPenny
Gift Certificate to Home Depot