On Unrelated Tidbits

Tidbit 1: Eye Update
Although initial tests were negative, my eye issue remains … so I contacted my eye doctor Monday morning … and I got a that-afternoon appointment! Docs spotted some blood vessel issues, so it’s off to the retina specialist on Tuesday. I’ll report more on the next post (Satire Bits) … but I’m planning on returning to my golf league tomorrow … and yes, my eyes are blue.

Tidbit 2: Dinner Music
Yesterday I mentioned hosting our dinner group last Saturday. (For those who missed the menu, click here.) With Fruit as the theme, I put together a song list (surprise, surprise) for the evening of songs with a fruit in the title. Here are my selections. Hey … this list would be handy for Fruit: The Musical!

Watermelon Man, Pineapple Getaway, Apple Pie Moonshine, Day-O (Banana Boat), Orange Blossoms, Grow a Pear, 3 Pears, Grapefruit-Juicy Fruit, Blueberry Hill, Strawberry Wine, Strawberry Swing, Strawberry Bubblegum, Strawberry Letter 2 3, Raspberry Beret, Casaba, I Heard it Through the Grapevine, Peel Me a Grape, Kiwi & the Apricot, Apricots, Chocolate Apricot, Captain Cookie’s Oatmeal-Raisin Cookie, Last Mango in Paris, Mango Tree, Mango, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, Cherry Bomb, Cherry Cherry, Black Horse & the Cherry Tree, Elderberry Wine, Elderberry Trees, Georgia Peaches, Lemon, Lemon Tree, Key Lime Pie, Strawberry Fields Forever, Adam’s Apple, Little Green Apples, Garfield’s Blackberry Blossom, Blackberry Wine, Rotten Peaches, Watermelon Crawl, River Runs New Grown Plums, Pineapple Express … and of course, this one …

Tidbit 3: Refurbishing
For the past 30 years following my grandmother’s death, her treadle sewing machine has spent its time in an outdoor storage shed, a garage, and a basement. Before my sister moved last year, she asked us if we wanted the sewing machine, to which we agreed.

Given where it’s been, the top is not in good shape. Because it’s wood veneer, we didn’t have much hope for its revival. (This surface is very bubbled.)

Lousy old top that wasn’t worth the time to repair

We got an idea, so I disassembled the cabinet (actually only a few pieces). Using a fine steel wool, I lightly rubbed my 50-50 concoction of lacquer thinner and linseed oil on the wood, followed by wiping with a dry rag.

The legs, pedal, and the flywheel where iron, so I used a steel brush and fine sandpaper to remove any rust and loose paint …. and then, after wiping clean, one coat of low-luster black spray paint.

But what about that ugly lid? We went to a granite fabricator looking for scraps, and unbelievably, we found this gorgeous piece that the fabricator cut to size and finish the edges … all for a mere $60.

This piece of granite caught our eye

Here’s the final product, which is we proudly display in a prominent area.

A wonderful corner table displaying a few wine bottles