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Crazy as a Loom

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Nicky Hokey

I have been watching the sale flyers for Target and Kmart....and this metal shelf was finally on sale this week.
I thought I could put it together, but soon realized that it was a two person job. So I asked my husband to come over and do a couple of "ten minute" jobs. :)
While we were putting it together, he was questioning my judgement about buying a metal shelf instead of a plastic shelf, which he insists goes together in 5 minutes.
This one did not.
But it is so much nicer looking than the plastic ones, Bill, don't you agree????



Next on the list was putting this cupboard on the wall in the kitchen. No modern cupboards here.......and I desperately need more storage space. It needs a board across the bottom, which DH has bought already.
We had an awful time putting it on the wall. It is quite heavy. And I couldn't hold it steady and in place by myself so he could attach it to the wall. So we put a stack of stuff under it to hold it up there.
We also couldn't find the level, so I suggested we just use a small glass of water, at which my husband replied, "My God, I am married to Mort Cooper." (that was my father)

Which brings me to the term, "Nicky Hokey". My husband insists that it is a well known phrase, meaning a crappy job, something thrown together without much of a plan.
I said what you mean is "cob job", my father's favorite term. Which is kind of comical, because he was the king of cob jobs. And this term is well known. One of the explanations I found was "cob is short for cobble a rough hewn stone for streets. The expression actually means a roughly done job."

See, I have several sources of heat in the studio, one of them being a Monitor heater that runs on kerosene. It is very economical, and throws a lot of heat, but it has a ton of maintenance issues. And on top of it, the fuel company came and filled the tank, and then said it was unsafe, and I had to pump it out and fix it, or they wouldn't refill it in mid winter.
So, a friend decided he would insure that it didn't tip over, while I was using the fuel that is in it.
This is what he did......now you can call it nicky hokey, or you can call it a cob job. It doesn't matter. It is a nightmare.
I can't imagine how he came up with this one.
And to make matters worse............
Do you see how the tank is secured to the tree?????
Mort would be proud.
Lord have mercy.
Suffice to say, when this fuel is gone, this tank is going bye bye.
And the Monitor heater is going with it.
Haven't decided what I will do to replace that heat source, but I can tell you it won't be nicky hokey.

On a happier note, I got my new birdfeeder today. It is called a roller feeder , and it is supposed to be squirrel proof, and it doesn't spew the seed on the ground where the squirrels can get it anyway.

Guess if it works, it isn't a happy note for the squirrels.I did manage to start this order of three rugs. Hopefully, I will have enough fabric to make some for the shop. I love this color combo.
And just so you don't think I am a total CAT lady......here is my REAL baby. On the couch, right next to me, where he loves to be.

My husband says he is a spoiled brat.

Oh, Eddie, how can he say such a thing???????

15 comments:

Life Looms Large said...

Yay!! A dog photo!!!

That rug is really pretty....good choice of fabrics!

Sue

Lori said...

Your "baby" or "spoiled brat" is so darm cute! That bird feeder is pretty cool! And what a pretty rug! You are one busy woman.

Need A Latte Mom said...

ok...love the metal rack. Very "practical" and sturdy. I hate plastic.
The fuel tank is very.....creative. Yes, creative. The dry rotting bungee cord makes it look much more secure. I like that they filled it then told you it was not safe...uh, do you think you could have said something BEFORE you filled it up?
And yes...dogs belong on the sofa, just ask them!

Anonymous said...

Your metal shelves look like mine. I have a tall one and a short one here in my office and Hubby has 3 tall ones in the basement for tools and other man stuff. We purchased ours at Lowes and they work well and are sturdy. Plastic ones eventually sag in the middle. You made a good choice.

Hugs to Eddie
Di

Arlene said...

Love that bird feeder let us know how you like it after you use it for awhile. I may have to put it on my list of things to get. Awww.....look at the pup!! Yep spoiled and loving it!

Sandy said...

Spending a rainy morning reading new blogs. Just wanted to let you know I stopped by. I love the colors in the rug you are weaving.

Daryl said...

Around here we call it 'jerry rigged' not sure where it originated. And my husband is the King of the C-clamp. In 1997 he 'built' me a desk which is a plank atop a file cabinet on one end and a single leg on the other. It backs against the wall and the top is secured to the one leg by a C-clamp .. sigh .. amazingly its held up all these years giving validation to my husband's insistence that its ''fine, no need to mess with it''. GAH.

Delighted Hands said...

What a great post-so much to appreciate! Never heard of nicky hokey.....cob job yes; I have several areas of husband's touch of this. The rug is a beauty-glad you got an order?!

Sharon said...

You made me laugh out loud! I love both those phrases - nicky hokey and cob job, and I think the tank was the best I've ever seen and I've seen a lot. Numero uno.

Nancy said...

"A lick and a promise" would be something just slapped together - with the intention of coming back and doing it right. Ha - I have a bunch of things like that in my life.

Your dog is spoiled. No doubt! :-)

Theresa said...

LOL, I've never heard either expression but now that I've seen what was done with your oil tank, I have a clear picture of what they mean!
Great Eddie picture. Love to see him. Spoil at will :-)
That's one interesting squirrel proof bird feeder! Have the birds found it yet?

Hilary said...

The birds have found it, but not the squirrels. yet.

Kacey said...

I SO want the bird feeder!! (love the rug you're making. Pretty colors. Did you know that my dh and I are weavers too??)

KarenInTheWoods said...

Ohh.. what a nice visit to your studio again today. Thanks! Your fuel tank, the dog, the pretty rug, all a wonderful glimpse into your everyday world. What a whacky warped world it is! LOL

Anonymous said...

I also have a rollerfeeder and it works great! no squirrels (ever) and only the small-medium size birds use it - we also have a ton of blackbirds and grackles the feeder ejects - best money I've spent in a long time.

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