A quick upload while waiting in Kastrup for our flight to Oslo (and then home). Note to self: the WiFi at CPH is very good for a free connection.
Pictures from Sweden (Part 2)
Pictures from Sweden (Part 1)
On Friday, the boys and I took the train from Copenhagen to Alvesta, Sweden. We had to switch trains twice – our original train from Copenhagen was cancelled and we had to pass through an ID check at Kastrup Airport before crossing the border into Sweden. It was a little stressful to have to figure out where to go, but at least the people at the information desk spoke English.
In Copenhagen central station, we met a French family on their way to Stockholm that spoke little English and no Swedish. They stuck with us for the train swaps at Kastrup and again at Malmo. Their daughter sat next to Will on the train ride from Copenhagen to Kastrup, thinking he was older. She was shocked when he said he was 13. She was 18. Of course, it embarrasses Will when I tell the story. But his new haircut makes him look older.
On Saturday, we had Isabella’s christening – Susanna posted pictures on Isabella’s website.
Sunday was an easy day. We cleaned up from the celebration and the boys took it easy.
Monday we went to Kosta and got fish pedicures and ate lunch. After lunch we took a guided tour of the glass blowing factory. In the evening, Susanna’s sister, Rebecka, took the train back to her home, and we headed out to Susanna’s Dad, Dan’s, cabin which is near Sävsjöström, Sweden on Alstern Lake. The boys and I were going to camp out for the night, but after dinner Will felt sick, so Will and I came home while Ben camped out with Dan.
This morning, Will, Susanna and I went back to the cabin and joined Ben and Dan for breakfast. Breakfast was followed by checking out Dan’s harvester, and Ben rode along while Dan took down a few trees. We spent this afternoon taking it easy and playing kubb while the boys took turns trying to figure out the antique (1960s) moped.
Herråkra Church, Sweden
Pictures from Copenhagen
Portraits of Will and Ben (from Copenhagen)
On the road
We are on the road….
Surviving the heat (a visit to Dianna’s Pool)
With the humidity somewhere well above 100% (at least in the house this morning) and the temperatures soaring into the 90’s (mid-30’s for those across the pond using Celsius) we decided to let the air-conditioning take a break from its thankless task and head north to find some shade and water to temper the heat.
I did some digging on the Internet and found a listing for Diana’s Pool – a spot on the Natchaug River in Chaplin, CT. We got to the pool in late morning, beating the crowds (and getting good parking).
It was a great place to get a break from the heat. The water was cool, there was plenty of shade, and lots of waterfalls to play around in. The boys claimed that they overheard some of the other visitors talking about how it got its name – the claim was that someone named Diana drowned there. Of course, I’m sure they heard it from the college kids that were playing around (and drinking crap beer – but of course I drank crap beer when I was that age) and a morbid story is always the better option. But an article from the Hartford Courant from about 2003 give many rumors on how the pool was named (and only one of them was morbid). We had fun, no matter how the pool got named.
The crowds picked up around 1pm, and we decided to head home around 2pm. Now both boys are trying to beat the heat by playing Minecraft (with Ben live-streaming it on YouTube) in their air-conditioned rooms while I wait for the workshop to cool off enough for me to head out there.
Working on Ben’s Boat
Susanna and Isabella departed for Sweden yesterday. Will is volunteering as a preschool camp assistant at the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center all week. So, Ben and I get today and tomorrow to hang out together. Today we put some time into the boat. We are (still) working on replacing the stringers. We had replaced part of the center stringer two summers ago, but we didn’t do a very good job at it. So earlier this summer Ben and I cut out the repair and more of the rotted stringer.
Today we glassed in (partly at least) the new stringer. Tomorrow we will put another two layers of glass and cover the entire stringer.
Using the Stanley No. 45 Plane
I’ve been pretty good at getting back into the workshop. I have the AC installed – and even though it doesn’t completely keep up on a hot and humid day like today, it helps. I’m currently building a case for my new workshop computer. The case will allow me to add filters to keep the dust out of the machine.
Today I’m cutting rabbets on the rails of the case to allow me to install the bottom and sides of the case. Normally I would set up the router table and use the router, but I need to go get longer bolts to attach the fence to the new table and I’m lazy. Plus, Izzy has been hanging out in the shop at times (in her pack and play), so I need to find ways to do things without power tools.
Which brings me to the Stanley No. 45 Plane. The plane came in a collection of antiques I got from my dad. It is in pretty good shape, though the cutters need sharpening. Last night I started sharpening the cutters. The cutters are almost at a 30-degree bevel, but not quite and it took me a while to grind the proper bevel. So, after sweating at it for a while, I decided to only grind the 1/2 dado cutter. I’ll work on the rest as I need them (and in hindsight, I should have done one of the wider ones).
How did it work? At first use, it works well. I had to make two passes to get the width of the rabbet I wanted (hence, the wish I had sharpened a wider cutter) which made the finished cut a little rougher than I had hoped. Of course I didn’t do a good job cleaning up the rabbet either, but no worries – the rabbet will be hidden.
Now back to work – time to clean up the rails and glue up the frame. And maybe later to eBay to browse different cutters for the plane.
North Lake
Family outing to the Submarine Base and North Lake.
Saturday Pictures
The weather was perfect for a morning hike. Ben slept in, so we got our start a little later than I would have liked, but we were home by noon. The two boys and I took a 4.5-mile hike on the Narragansett Trail and Will only complained about half of the hike about the bugs.
