Notes from Maine - 2021/06/27
Mom returned to her home a couple of days ago and the house is quiet. The puppy doesn’t have anyone to follow around. My activities involve too much sitting to suit his taste. The horses run over to the fence whenever they see me, but I don’t bring carrots and apples every time, like Mom does. It’s safe to say that her presence is sorely missed.
I’m tempted to write a list of everything I want to get done this summer. I have a number of big projects that have been on hold for the last year, due to various logistical issues. Maybe it’s finally time to start remodeling my kitchen. That’s an easy project to put off, given the scarcity of materials right now. I should probably focus on getting ride of things that I accumulated during previous hobbies. There are several small engines downstairs from when I was building go karts a few years ago. I rescued the engines from the dump and fixed them up. Someone else could probably put them to good use.
The last few years, I’ve enjoyed repairing machines and appliances. I think putting them back in working order symbolizes turning back the clock. My body is deteriorating, friends have passed on, but I can keep the washing machine rolling after twenty years of service.
Last year, I started restoring pinball machines. My favorites are about forty to fifty years old. They were well built, but are pretty banged up at this point. When I started, I was merely repairing them. I would find the issues and come up with a fix. Then, I returned to my original repairs and decided to actually restore the parts to the way they were when the machine was built.
Most pinball machines were “routed” meaning they were installed on location for the public to use. In those harsh conditions, they required a lot of service to keep them earning money. A technician would show up periodically to replace burned out bulbs, fried solenoids, or fix connectors that had oxidized or jiggled loose. Occasionally, they would hack in a horribly botched repair just to keep the machine running.
That’s the state that I find machines in. You can go over these games and see all the atrocities visited on the machine, imagining the harried (or incompetent) technician who left them in this state. My favorite thing is to untangle all those horrors and put the machines right.
Lately, I’ve dipped my toe into repainting the playfields and cabinets as well.
It’s satisfying work. I’m improving some tiny, neglected corner of the world and leaving it better.
I suppose I could pull weeds in the flower garden or paint the fence, but those things are too temporary. A fixed machine will stay fixed. Plus, pinball is fun to play.
One day (perhaps soon) I will run into a machine that can’t be fixed. I may have to give up my 20-year-old washing machine. I might have to admit that the defroster on my refrigerator will never be dependable, even though I’ve replaced the control board, heating element, thermostat, connectors, and wiring. What will happen then? Will I have to confront mortality again?
I suppose it’s inevitable.
But, today is beautiful and everything is working. The horses and dogs miss Mom, but I’ll do my best to entertain them.
