May 8, 2022 AsktheBuilder Newsletter

Issue #1181

The first thing you need to know as a brand-new subscriber is this. It's never a bad idea to bring a pint or two of mocha-chip ice cream with you each Sunday morning when you and I get together.

It's also permissible to eat birthday cake in bed for breakfast. In fact, it's encouraged!

But you, you might have subscribed back in the days of yore when Trollocs roamed the land. By chance do you remember this column that will help save you money when painting interior surfaces?

My Past Week

First and foremost, are you a mom? It's your day today! Happy Mother's Day. Here's my mom at the tender age of 22 with her soulmate, my dad. How bright red do you think that lipstick was? WOWZA!

I'd be taking her out to brunch or dinner if she wasn't busy up in Heaven eating fried chicken and corn on the cob and then playing poker with her sister-in-laws, my dad, and the rest of the gang.

Once again, last week went by as fast as I did down the straightaway at Kentucky Speedway driving a 600 hp NASCAR car over 130 mph years ago.

What a rush that was!

I'm not a big fan of shredding sensitive business records. I'd rather be sure no one can ever see what was on the paper. I'm in the process of decluttering and had boxes of paper records and receipts that had to go.

I burned them in a failed outdoor kiln experiment my daughter and I built two years ago. This is a photo of the fire in the early stages of the process. No paper has been put in just yet. That happened a few minutes later in the upper chamber that has air slots to the fire below.

Using a hand-held leaf blower aimed at the openings in the kiln, I was able to burn thousands of pieces of paper in hours. I showered my yard, my deck, and myself with tiny ashes as the high-velocity air from the blower caused them to eject from the chimney like billowing ash from an erupting volcano.

Fortunately, the rain the following day dissolved the ash particles transporting the nutrients into the ground.

I also played my first golf league game on Thursday. As usual, I had some spectacular shots and putts. My issue is I don't have enough of them throughout the nines holes.

Pros string amazing shots together one after another. Hackers like me have a great drive followed by a second shot that goes 30 feet. Hackers like me that are 30 yards from the hole hit the ball perfectly so drops onto the green and proceeds to roll 2 inches past the hole but stops 50 feet away on the other side of the green.

But did I have fun? Yes!!! Will my game get better? Let's hope so if I just focus each shot.

As my teaching pro Joel Suggs taught me years ago, "Tim, it's mostly about distance, not aim. By default, the ball is almost always going towards the hole. Your goal is to have the ball stop within 2 feet of the hole if it doesn't go in."

I actually think the inventor of golf was a genius. She or he was a master at reciprocity. The few great shots a hacker like me makes each game are as sweet as a siren's soothing song.

Those tender notes lure you back to the vibrant green-carpeted course. You board your miniature ship at the golf course only to wreck once more upon the rocks. No wonder Groundhog Day is such a significant movie! Go here to watch the short Groundhog Day trailers and the remarkable ending.

My new logo golf balls arrived three hours before I had to leave. I left two of them as gifts to other golfers or scuba divers who might be on the course.

They look magnificent. The next batch may have a different message on them. See below in my digital sack.

Corded vs Cordless Power Tools

Speaking of siren songs, have you been lured into the sea of cordless tools? I've decided to do the usual wait-just-a-dag-burned-minute deep dive into this phenomenon.

I'll have that column and my thoughts next week. If you've been following me for years, I think you know where this is going to end up.

My new column will save you huge money if you're about to purchase new power tools.

Stamped Concrete Restoration
or
Cleaning Colored Concrete Pavers

Look at this photo:

You may like that look with the different colors. The homeowner was aghast after she had ruined her stamped concrete.

How did she ruin it? You'll discover the answer and so much more by reading this new column about what NOT TO DO with stamped concrete or traditional colored concrete paving brick and patio pavers.

From Tim's Digital Sack

I didn't get taken to the woodshed by any of the PhD economists that subscribe to the newsletter about my take on the upcoming harsh recession. That's a good thing!

Jack shared this:

I am not a golfer, but would be interested in an autographed golf ball. My father-in-law had a large metal trash can with balls he would find! I believe you are on to something!

Well, Jack, as Kenny Chesney says in his hit song, "Only time will tell, but it ain't talkin."

- - -

Michael is contemplating making the Root Beer Chocolate cake I made for Kathy's birthday:

I am not sure if you are familiar with the brand, but might I suggest Foxon Park Root Beer, made in East Haven, CT. They use real cane sugar. Their White Birch is one of their most famous flavors, and they ship nationwide.

I will absolutely consider that root beer. I went shopping for materials two days ago and found two craft root beers with cane sugar. I'll test both and circle back with you.

- - -

Barbara had a great idea if the golf ball sales soar:

How about a golf ball that says: "Do it Right, Not Over!" ... the saying applies to golf as well as construction!

How could I overlook that???? Jeeesh!! Great idea, Barbara! Perhaps:

Do (Hit) it Right, Not Over!

This suggestion from Barbara makes total sense because the person finding my ball is obviously didn't hit their ball correctly! She/he is in the woods looking for their ball and then stumble across my lost ball.

BTW, I had two do-overs this past Thursday. Two tee shots disappeared off the tee. Both were out of bounds. When that happens, it means a STROKE + DISTANCE!

If you're a non-golfer, that means you tee up a new ball again and wherever your second ball lands in play, you're lying THREE. YEOUCH!

That's enough for a Sunday.

Tim Carter
Founder - www.AsktheBuilder.com
HILTON HOTELS Uses - www.StainSolver.com
POTA Activator - www.W3ATB.com

Do It Right, Not Over!

P.S. Do you like to fly kites? I'll bet you never did what my best friend Richard did with his youngest son one day. Let me know if you have an amazing kite story.