Sunday, September 02, 2012

The Man Cave

This is for Tatyana, so she can see how us rednecks live out here in the sticks (if we had trees, that is). I've taken a ton of pics, but they're gonna be under the fold, if you dare.






This is looking towards the man cave central from the front door - the recliner! The loveseat and sofa are leather, and recline as well. I think the lamps are cool.


The bookcase/entertainment center units were stuffed into that closet in the corner, so I put 'em to use.


I  had some pencil drawings of the Duke hanging in the old place, and I had mentioned that to my neighbor that dammit, that was another thing I was gonna miss. Her son had drawn this picture in an art class, so she gave it to me. Looks good, too, I think. I'm also a knife nut - the case is nothing but trappers. Most are el cheapos, and I had most of these knives already. When my guns were stolen, quite a few things were moved out to the neighbor's place, and the knife collection was one of them. Never got around to moving them back, unlike many of the guns that were toasted.


That's about it for the books and DVDs that I have, but more knives.


This is the best piece of art in the place - it screams Western Kansas with the post rocks and the pheasant. The highly colored pheasant against the black and white background really pops, IMHO.


The big pic - scenic and peaceful.


I was given an battery powered grandfather style clock with chimes, but the move from Garden City screwed up the sound somehow, and it really grated on my nerves. I'd always wanted a windup clock in this style, and I got this on eBay cheap. It's a fifteen day clock that chimes once on the half hour, then once for every hour - two o'clock chimes twice, five o'clock five times, etc. Plus when it's still, you can hear it ticking. I find that comforting.


Looking into the dining area - the kitchen table and the deep freeze. I really need a computer desk to put that crap.


The kitchen counter - tea brewing, the dishwasher is running a load, so the extra ones are in the sink.


When I moved in, the burners nor the oven would light. I could get the burners going with a lighter, but the oven was screwed. My buddy the landlord had this one put in. It's an Estate made by Whirlpool - their budget line - but it's the top of that line. I'd been using a thirty or more year old electric stove. This thing is about as programmable as the microwave.



Just some Dollar General stuff to hang on the wall.


I was also given quite an eclectic set of knives, and the best among them are from Chicago Cutlery. I'd had some Forschner and Bokor sets, and a grinder on a stand with cardboard wheels to keep 'em sharp. I'd heard a lot about these things and wanted to try one out. It's a Ken Shun damascus blade, and I'm here to tell you that this puppy is a level above anything I've ever had before. It glides through tomatoes. I picked up that sharpener behind the pepper at Cabelas, and all the edge maintenance this thing has needed is to run it through the angled stone sticks slot to touch it up. My sharpening stick doesn't seem to touch the edge at all.


Never had a pantry before, either. I had a cabinet at floor level, so getting on my hands and knees to find something was a major pain. Not anymore.


Never had a dedicated laundry room before, either. The washer was in the bathroom and the dryer was out on the enclosed back porch of the old place. I'm rather fond of this setup.


And last but not least, the master bedroom.

So, anyhow, I'm pretty comfortable here for sure. I'm sure it really needs redecorating - new wallpaper and carpeting, for instance. That kind of stuff pretty well washes over me - I can appreciate how it all works together and getting a certain look, but it's really not necessary for my existence. Functional is more like it for this fat boy - I'm more into good cookware, for instance.

The biggest share of this furniture all came from one person - a former classmate whose father just passed away. She wanted me to have what I could use of his, bless her heart. I certainly appreciated her gesture, for sure. We've been friends since grade school, and she lost her hubby - another friend, some years back. She's missing her Daddy pretty bad, dern it all.

So, this is home. I'm comfortable here, more than I thought I'd be. Guess I'm more adaptable than I thought.

15 comments:

drjim said...

Looks good, Jeff!
Glad to hear you're all settled in.

Alleah Hilker Heise said...

God bless the tremendous group of friends that you have!

Jeffro said...

Well, you in particular as well, Alleah!

I am reminded of an old Peanuts strip where Charlie Brown goes out of his way to make Snoopy's dinner special, and Snoopy wonders if CB would like someone bitten in return.

If you ever need someone bitten, I'm yo dog!

threecollie said...

Very nice!

jed said...

Well, all that frou frou stuff is nice, but I'm glad to see that you didn't forget that one kitchen essential,the handtruck.

I might have to put some of that Shun cutlery on my wish list. Looks very nice. Of course, Ken Onion's stuff always does.

Jeffro said...

I need to get that two wheeler back to it's proper owner, but I've been expecting to need it at some point for some other stuff.

Anonymous said...

I envy you 2 things: a washer/dryer in your own dwelling - and sharp knives.
NY is notorious for having been divided along the axis of owning washing machines (vs. everything else); see f.i., this old quote from The Bandarlogs:
"Funny that you mention the washing machine. Have we discussed this before? I like to joke that in Manhattan, the line between middle-class and rich runs through the washer/dryer. IF you have one in your apartment, you're rich. It's particularly galling, though, because it doesn't seem at all right that one should have to be rich to avoid spending one's Sunday morning lugging sacks of smelly clothing several blocks and standing guard over it in a place of business that makes an OTB betting parlour look cheerful by comparison."
I have fell in social status 7 yrs ago, when we sold the house including our Own Private Washer&Dryer - right down to the hell of laundromats; I was able to climb a bit higher in the hierarchy by owning a coop now, which implies that we the members have our own washing machines in the building, and don't have to share them with outside world...but not high enough as shareholders of condos, f.i. - they enjoy combos in their own units!

And the knives...mine a dull as an average teenager, and similarly flashy. The sharpener does not seem to work on them - or I am doing something very wrong.

Love the pheasant picture. Approve of functional layout and pantry. DIS-approve of recliners and leather. The lamps are cool, indeed - but need different shades, more of a "drum" variety.

otherwise -you seem well settled and comfortable in your "cave", thanks to nice and generous friends - but also to your own ability to adapt. That is a more important than a new wallpaper.

Earl said...

Looks better than my imagination made it. Hope you continue to get comfortable.

jed said...

> I need to get that two wheeler back to it's proper owner

But... it really ties the room together, don't'cha think?

drjim said...

"" it really ties the room together""

Yep, in true bachelor pad tradition!
I used to have both my big toolboxes in my kitchen.

Jeffro said...

Yes. The functionality and brute simplicity of it's purpose certainly makes an artistic statement that I am apparently unwilling to sacrifice.

SteveK said...

Hi Jeff, I really like all of your new furnishings in your new home! Very comfortable and a great place to relax after hard days on the road. You deserve a nice place to come home to after the traumatic loss of your old homestead. All the best to you and hope you had a great Labor Day holiday! -Cousin Steve

Anonymous said...

I could use a handtruck..oh my back

[have been packing all day]

jed said...

Well, when you get rid of the hand truck, make sure you find a nice rug.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vGK008c_rA

Jeffro said...

Yeah, but some Chinaman would probably just pee on it.