I think the address thingy is gonna be kewl, three horseshoes holding up a rock with a number on it. But just for grins we decided today, rotr is a baaaaaaaad influence, to add a lizard to two to the rocks. He suggested them doing it. And I suggested them just flirting, like I said rotr is a bad influence. But seriously if you have a big flat sandstone rock with three big horseshoes holding up another big rock with a number on it. Don't you think a lizard on the bottom rock looking up at a lizard scaling the top rock would be the cat's meow? Today has been an emotional day. I couldn't figure out why but the emotions just seemed to be between the epi and the dermis all day long. Then tonight I look at the puter and it's 8-11. Nuff said. Thirty four years ago today I almost died. Should have anyway. So everything since has been gravy. An Army duece and a half of the mid sixties vintage weighs fourteen thousand seven hundred pounds dry. I remembered that as one did a nice roll over doing about forty or so I'd guess. There was eleven of us in the back and three in the cab. As the sixteen fell from between my legs as I went airborne I didn't think I was dead. I knew I was. No ifs, ands or buts about that issue at the moment in time. Fourteen thousand seven hundred pounds dry will squash you like a bug. We were halfway between Dong Tam and My Tho on a nice Sunday afternoon. A single vehicle all alone and one mistake on the driver's part. Of course I survived. And I've never liked riding in the open bed at any speed since. And I don't allow others to ride in the open bed either. I know what it's like to hit the road and then have a vehicle come down on top of you. Who woulda thunk it? Thirty four years later and I'm still a little too quick with that middle finger. I've had more than one person comment on me not fearing death. I guess it's like any other butt whipping. It's never as bad as the fear of the whipping.
There's a lizard in the fire!
I started out with a piece of three quarter by three quarter bar stock. I heated it and hammered it until that little lizard started coming out.
These are the horseshoes that are going to be in the address thingy. It was a three legged horse and it took me three days to pull these puppies off of it. If it had four legs I'd still be trying. That's my foot just for perspective.
This is the Colorado boulder that's gonna get the sword. You have to wonder just what's with some folks. I told my bud his rock was gonna get a sword and he thought it was just short of super kewl and neater'n a pin. My wife gave me a look like I was bragging about stepping in dog doo. I'm not sure if it's a man woman thing or if it's the old opposites attract kind of deal???????????
Here's what four days of work will get you. Seven hundred plus pounds of rock and steel. And all just because she told me she wanted something unique with her street number on it. We finish it up and install it tomorrow. BTW I finally got the excuse to learn how to use a chisel to put digits in rocks. Gawd, I love it. Not good at it, but I love it.
Another view. Tell me just who is the luckiest guy you know? I mean to blacksmith, weld, play with rocks, and get paid for all of it.....
A little gorilla glue and everything pinned. It's stable. Here's a picture of Iris getting ready to load'm up for a delivery, aka forking around with the boss.
Here she is ready to be bound down for truckin'.
This is one trick hitch. I saw it. I bought it. I installed it. I love it. (The pintle hitch above is for the real trailer)
This is the rocks, shoes, and lizards at their new home. The customer liked it plenty fine it seems. They wanted unique. I do think there's not another on this side of town like it.
Another angle to ogle.
What was hilarious was I happened to see a bud at the feed store in town so I stopped in to let him check out the piece. One of the old boys working there stared real hard at the shoes and then asked me if they were genuine or just fabricated. I looked him dead straight in his good eye and told him they were genuine cause I'd fabricated them myself. Did I mention these lizards are the same ones having so much in that fire up a post or two? I had to separate them. They're both flirts
One of the really fun things to do in life is going back to see how things worked out over time. This morning. June 5 04, I got to do just that.
t's funny how time can be so generous with somethings and really mean with others. It does seem to enjoy aged iron and stone especially.