I love my bride dearly...but it is often when she is gone that I have the most "freedom" to do my thing...and this is one of those weekends when all the gods are smiling and the planets have aligned.
I had the opportunity to repair a Peter Goebbels copper lantern that I have had for over 35 yeqrs. All it needed was 3 panes of glass, but getting the glass, cutting it to size and then getting it installed needed some time...job done and I again have period-correct lighting for my camp.
Then I made my first batch of fixin' wax. Not hard at all, and it turned out better than I expected. I used half lard, half beeswax, with several tablespoons of shea butter and several drops of lemon essential oil. (Next time I think I will add more shea butter and change the essential oil to pine, spruce or a more woodsy scent.)
After that, I "finally" got the Lil' Beast stripped down and ready to begin the makeover. I now have to get some varnish remover to begin that process. I am already envisioning turning that coach gun from a lil' beast to a lil' beauty.
And finally, I dug out a gallon of blueberries from my freezer and now have them in the dehydrator. That's step one in making my first batch of pemmican. Step two is making my jerky, but want to do that over fire and not in oven. I might resort to my smoker if I have to, but really want to go old school like I used to when I was setting up my camp on a regular basis.
All of that, and it is still not quite noon...it's a fine weekend, indeed. And tomorrow I have plans to spend the day shooting the ol' trade gun. Damned if retirement aint getting to be fun...