I’m Alsmost a Mason, NOT

By Michael Erlewine

I’m not a mason, but nevertheless I’m the fixer around here. In fact, my family calls me “Handy Mike,” when they want something done. This morning, I put my mason hat on and weighed in on one of our large cement decks that needs repairing. I have been working on replacing bricks that have fallen out, and so on.

It got hot a lot sooner than I imagined and it is 86 degrees out right now. I was trying to finish off some deep cracks using about 10 lbs. of dry mortar. I mixed up some mortar and loaded it into what looked like a confectionery bag, the kind you decorate cakes with, but much larger.

I had to mix two batches, use two vinyl bags, and work quickly, and managed to get that part of the job done and I was soaked with sweat from head to foot. I had to go take a shower and then drive out to our local Lowes and figure out some mortar-calk or concrete patch filler.

I am limping through this work and I can see that mortar work is for pros, not a handyman. LOL.

As the heat sinks in I slink back into the house and hole up. No more cement work for me today, although still some to be done.

I promised myself that I would not spend my summer on a garden, but get out around the state more. The only serious problem is this smoke from Canada coming into Michigan some days is so dense that you can’t breathe properly outside and have to wear a mask. Had not planned on that at all. Bummer.

We did purchase a couple of decent air filters and purifiers on Amazon to fight the smoke, which I link here. I notice that the price has gone up since we purchased ours, so shop around. These work well.

Coway Airmega AP-1512HH(W) True HEPA Purifier with Air Quality Monitoring

We can set these air filters on ‘ECO’ and they will stand watch for any smell, dust, or whatever occurs. Last night, in the middle of the night, one of these turned its light from Blue to Red, powered up, and gobbled up the ‘smell’, shut down, and the Blue light came back on. This took about 15 minutes. A vigilant smell sniffer.

Other than that, this work has been my day. I need to rest and do nothing the rest of the day, physically speaking. Despite myself, I am working on the front garden and seem to have it weeded and mulched, although I will see what comes up through the mulch in a few days.

I might search for an old movie I like as, for some reason, I am tired of the more modern movies that have shown up on Netflix of late, not to mention the ones not in English. Interested in foreign movies, yes, having to squint to read subtitles, not so much.

[ iPhone photo of some of the cement work. ]

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As Bodhicitta is so precious,

May those without it now create it,

May those who have it not destroy it,

And may it ever grow and flourish.