Cabin Fever This is going to be the longest winter of my life! I spent two winters knocking on doors in Belgium, where it rains eight out of seven days a week. This one might be even more trying. Granted, it’s unusual for Utah, but remnants of a hurricane have flooded much of Southern California and even parts of Utah. Clive has been indoors for a little over two days, and I’m telling you now — one of us may not survive this winter. He may be dead, but I could still strangle

Deadman’s Stare No photo today I was afraid my phone my melt if El Fuego stared at me too. You’d think a dead guy would be all on board for chillaxing for a few days. I’ve been tied up testing new flute designs and chasing my latest retirement‑fund‑draining idea — combining leftovers from flute making and school scraps with epoxy to make bowls, coasters, plaques… mostly paperweights so far. You’ve got to start somewhere. Clive’s been on his own for a week, and boy, have I hea

Clive and the Environment “Kid, that big chunk of glue and wood you’ve got on the lathe — you call it epoxy? Just how are you going to control all the shavings and dust? You know that stuff isn’t going to break down like normal wood dust and shavings. You could have just stayed with all wood and saved the environment — and me. I’ve got a few of those static‑cling shavings in places I don’t want to talk about. You better make sure I get cleaned up when you do damage control an

Clive’s Biggest Problem You know, Kid, I used to think being dead was my biggest problem. But I have to hand it to you — you have a way of making being dead seem like a walk in the park.” “Don Clive — see, I can learn — what in blue blazes are you talking about? You sit around all day drinking Mt. Dew, eating my snacks, petting your little sidekick from the nether regions, and spend your nights watching old TV shows on my computer. If I didn’t have an unlimited internet plan,

Clive Trying to Herd a Cat (Me) “I need some straight answers from you, Kid. You’re leaving me bamboozled as to what you’re trying to accomplish.” “Well, Clive—” “Stop right there, Kid. Is this going to be a thing with you failing to offer proper respect and calling me by my title?” “Pretty much, El Zorro. Once I get to know someone, I like using their given name. I’m not sure if Clive is a given name or an alias, but either way, I don’t see why I can’t call you Clive.” “I’ll

Clive and the Science Experiment “Well, Kid, you haven’t gotten a darn thing done today. What have you got to say for yourself? Better explain that bubbling mess on your glue‑up tile and that humongous piece of wood that looks like something from the Stone Age. I’m all ears, Kid — get talking.” “First of all, Senior Zorro — see, I can be polite — I don’t think the term all ears applies to someone with no ears.” “Kid, you’re getting to be an expert in stalling, not in flute‑ma

Where there is smoke there is Fuego I walked into the shop expecting the usual: Clive perched somewhere inconvenient, sword across his lap, ready to critique my sanding technique or demand Mt. Dew. Instead, I found him sitting tall, mask gleaming, cape draped, and the new skeletal companion balanced proudly on his blade. “El Sargento Juan,” he said, “behold your defender of the Hacienda.” I stared. “Clive… what gives, and why does it smell like smoke in here? The laser engrav

🌻 CLIVE’S CORNER — CHAPTER 19 Inflection Point Have you ever sat down and perused your memories for those moments when you hit an inflection point — those times when life changed, not necessarily for the better? We all have them. This one has been weeks in the making, and it’s hard not to draw parallels with the current conversation around AI. I’ve always believed in having the best tools possible to make life smoother, easier, and more precise — the way a perfect flute emer

“Listen, Kid, I’m not going to stand for this type of treatment anymore.” “What kind of treatment is that, Clive?” “Kid, you’re pushing all my buttons today. If you’re not careful, you’ll be sporting a big ‘Z’ on that backside of yours — which even a dead guy can’t miss. I’m Don Clive, but you will address me as El Zorro de la Sunflower. Got it? Or expect to be standing up for a while until things heal.” “Zorro — I’m not saying that twelve‑word name of yours you’re suddenly a

🌻 CLIVE’S CORNER — CHAPTER 17 Transformation! So It Begins “El Sargento Juan, you have delayed long enough in providing my equipment. Now that you have delivered them, my transformation is complete.” “Clive, not a single one of those boxes had your name on them. Since I paid for it all and they had my name on them, I’ll open boxes whenever it suits me.” “El Sargento Juan, you wound me with your veiled accusations and spurious thoughts. Remember — addressing me with respect w

🌻 CLIVE’S CORNER — CHAPTER 16 The Labor Day Long Box Showdown I come wandering into the shop with my tool bag and an armful of Canary Wood and Bolivian hardwood. Clive takes one look at me and starts shaking his head — slow, disappointed, theatrical. Then it begins. “Where have you been all day, Kid? Your bowls aren’t getting done, and certainly none of the flutes on your list are getting done with you missing all day.” “Well, Clive, I was working on the Never Stop Helping p

The Case of the Missing Mt. Dew Scene: The Morning Audit “Kid, where are you hiding out? Sargento, front and center — now!” I wander out to where Clive is keeping an eye on things, and if looks could kill, I wouldn’t be typing this. “So we’re starting the day like that, Kid — a total lack of respect for all I do for your little Hacienda, your shop, and your Sunflower Clan.” “Clive, if I could figure out what you were yammering about, I might be able to help.” “First, it’s Don

Perfection Is the Enemy of Good Enough Scene: The Hacienda Repair The day began with a whistle — not from a kettle or a tune, but from the vent that’s haunted the Hacienda since the wall came down. Every summer it sings like a ghost in the ductwork, and every winter it sulks behind a temporary patch. I finally decided enough was enough. Two chairs, two forty‑eight‑inch shelves, and a long worktable later, I had my battlefield. The new vent: six‑point‑one‑two feet long, two fe

🌻 CLIVE’S CORNER — Don Clive de la Sunflower: Mentor, Partner, and Post‑Corpeal Bureaucrat Intro: The Long Skinny Package Clive was waiting for me when I walked into the shop — poncho draped, hat tipped forward, skull tilted in that way that means he’s been rehearsing a speech for at least an hour. He didn’t even let me set my keys down. “Well look who finally decided to show up. Kid, you’ve been tappin’ away at that contraption like a prairie dog on espresso. Meanwhile I’ve

Motivation Clive Style Intro: El Zorro Está Llegando Clive has been running on pure masked‑avenger energy all week. Ever since he discovered the 1957 Zorro series, he’s been glued to the computer at night, “researching” with the intensity of a grad student writing a thesis on dramatic cape‑swishing. And now that his costume and sword are officially on the way, he’s unbearable in the most predictable Clive fashion. Little Spanish teasers have already started slipping into his

⚔️ Clive and the Lathe Showdown — Plus a New Snack Header Image (Clive sitting proud in his chair, poncho draped, hat tipped low, cup in one hand and pink animal cookies in the other — the look of a skeleton who believes snack tasting is a management duty.) Opening Scene The shop was quiet except for the hum of the lathe and the occasional crunch of Clive’s new snack. He’d claimed the best seat in the house — chair angled just right, poncho perfectly draped, and a cup of soda

🐦 Clive’s Corner: The Hummingbird Standoff (Clive sitting proud in his chair, poncho draped, hat tipped low, watching the Hummingbird Carpet blaze red under the late‑summer sun.) Opening Scene After three days cooped up in the shop, Clive finally got his wish — a seat outside among the fresh air and the fiery blooms of the Hummingbird Carpet. The rain had coaxed the flowers into full color, just in time for the migration. “Kid,” he said, “it’s about darn time you let me out

🍫 Clive’s Corner — Snack Department Review Header Image (Clive in his chair, sarape draped, hat tipped, Muddy Bites in hand, Mountain Dew at his side — the look of a skeleton who believes snack tasting is a management duty.) Opening Scene I walked into the shop this afternoon and found Clive lounging like he was on break from a movie set. Sarape, hat, belt — the full frontier ensemble — and a gallon of Mountain Dew within reach. He looked up, waved the snack bag, and said:

💰 Clive’s Corner: Payroll Negotiation Header Image (Clive in full regalia — hat, poncho, bandana — sitting proudly with a dollar bill on his lap, licorice at his side, and the smug look of a skeleton who believes he’s earned a raise.) Opening Scene It was payday in the shop — or at least, Clive decided it was. I put five dollars on his lap, thinking it was a generous gesture for a skeleton who mostly supervises from a chair. He looked down at the money, then up at me. “Kid…

🌅 Clive’s Corner: Sunset Shift Header Image (Clive sitting in his chair, hat tipped low, bandana catching the last light, watching the sky burn orange — the look of a skeleton who’s seen a thousand sunsets and still stops for every one.) Opening Scene After a long day in the shop — sanding, cutting, gluing, and listening to Clive’s constant critiques — I stepped outside to catch the sunset. The sky was glowing in that way only Utah can manage, all fire and gold. Clive didn’t