Homer'sWorld

Wednesday, December 31, 2025

Two months.

November

In November Matt and I hosted our All Souls Procession Cocktail Party. I had made an Ofrenda for the Presidio Museum- theme Thrift Store Ancestors and a similar one for my dining room.

Presidio Ofrenda.

I was set up north to Kayenta to work on a survey. I had not been to that part of the state since 1989. Kayenta is on the Navajo Nation and it really is a different place. There was a stray dog that I really wanted to adopt, so friendly and sweet.

Kayenta Doggy.

Monument Valley is nearby and I drove out toward it and sent Matt a selfie.

He wanted to come see it. So the next week we drove to Flagstaff for the night and then to Kayenta the next day. We had an open-truck tour led by a Navajo woman named Helen. She would point out things, insisting we see various rock formations, "Sleeping E.T." Sometimes I could not see them.

Monument Valley, the Left Mitten and the Right Mitten.

The next morning we had a horse ride in Monument Valley. The last time I was on a horse was in 1988. Halfway through the ride I had to find a bush. Getting back on took four attempts. Embarrassing.

Monument Valley horse ride.

I returned the following week to finish documenting sites. I could not find the sweet dog on the last day.

Thanksgiving was me, Matt, and I. I got a Tofurkey. It was tasty.

December

Elaborate decorations ensued.

Animal tree.

Bedroom tree.

Former tv stand scenes.

Secretary scene.

I have been working on a very elaborate Holiday Lego Village. I had so much stuff I couldn't put all of it out.

Lego Holiday Village (click to enlarge!).

Matt, me, and Gandalf AKA Buddy-Boo went to Ace and has our picture taken with Santa. That Ace store is my favorite, so many things!

Homer, Santa, Matt, and Gandalf.

Doug bought a table saw (I told him not to pay rent) and managed to saw through most of his left thumb. I took him to the emergency room. He was in the hospital for three days. They sewed it back together, but I have to take him on the 2nd to have the end removed. Worst Holiday present ever.

Our Cookie Decorating Party was on the 13th and about 30 or 40 people came. I had a contest, How Many Holiday Trees? With Lego prizes. Wally got first place and was super happy about the Christmas Lego set.

Cookie decorating: Sean, Monica, Kirsten, Mina, and Grazi.

Decorated cookies.

Chris L. and I went to New Mexico to do a survey near Socorro. The project was on the Bosque de Apache Wildlife Refuge and there were interesting sites with pretty decorated ceramics. We also saw some of the sandhill cranes that winter there, ducks, and javelinas.

New Mexico ceramics.

The last night Chris and I made Holiday Cards- he has a great time being creative.

Chris and his cards.

Homer's cards.

Holiday we opened presents. I got some nice Lego sets, a blanket, and some cooking items. I got Matt some Lego sets, cookbooks, and cheese-making kits. Doug came for lunch and I made macaroni and cheese, peas, green bean casserole (store bought), rolls, and a Nilla wafer, vanilla pudding, and banana trifle.

Holiday Tree with presents.

New Year's Eve

I stayed home from work, my back has been acting up again. United Healthcare decided I did not need the MRI my doctor ordered. Luckily we are changing insurance at work. Matt is in the kitchen making a fancy dinner. I turned all the Holiday lights on and decided I better update this blog.

Let's hope 2026 is an improvement over 2025. I used to be a nice person. Not any more. I want bad things to happen to bad people.

Anyways, here is a cute picture of us.

# posted by Homer : 5:25 PM

Wednesday, October 22, 2025

I gave a talk at Whiskey del Bac. It was on the Saloons of Territorial Tucson, based on the book I wrote. Now that I am skinnier I was able to squeeze into one of my Victorian outfits.

Matt took a photo before hand.

Whiskey del Bac makes several kinds of whiskey and have huge numbers of barrels where it is aged. Impressive. Also a couple of cats wandering around.

Barrels.

Twenty-seven people showed up including co-workers, friends, and Matt's co-workers and friends. Plus other people interested in the topic.

Being introduced.

The talk went well and people enjoyed themselves. Lots of questions afterward. Signed a number of books too.

Showing a picture of a saloon interior.

Afterward we went home and Matt made nachos for supper.

# posted by Homer : 3:20 PM

Monday, October 20, 2025

We went to the No Kings protest. I carried a sign that said NO. We stood on the stairs as thousands of people arrived, many in cute inflatable costumes. Everyone had a good time. The local MAGA shitheads whined online about it. Some claimed we were paid to attend. Still waiting for my check.

So the last few weeks I have had shingles. I have had shingles several times. Got vaxxed in 2022. Still it came back. The left side of my back hurts all the time. There is one spot that feels like I am being stabbed over and over again. My doctor did not believe me when I saw him two weeks ago. I have an appointment next week and I will be having a discussion with him.

Puff kitty is fat. He likes to eat. I don't know what to do about that. He literally lies down next to the bowl and eats. He started pooping on the bathroom floor instead of using the litter box. I yelled at him after he peed there. So I moved the litter box to the spot and now he is behaving.

I build Lego sets to remain mostly sane. Matt says it calms me down. I am going to have a very elaborate Holiday Village for our cookie decorating party in December.

# posted by Homer : 4:49 AM

Thursday, September 18, 2025

Matt brought me pizza and cake for my 62nd birthday. And a couple of alternative Lego kits (Winnie the Pooh and the Trevi Fountain).

What a year it has been. Got married, hosted two parties, went all over the state for work, got obsessed by Legos, and lost about 30 pounds. The low point has been the vile piece of raping shit that got elected President. Prices at the grocery store are going up. Work is starting to slow down and who knows what it will be like in a year.

White cake with raspberry filling.

So a right-wing loudmouth got offed by a disgruntled kid. The MAGA cult has been trying to pin the blame on Democrats and trans people, but it turns out he was from a Republican gun nut family. So now the Republicans are busy trying to kill free speech. Mentioning the fact that the loudmouth was a vile racist, homophobe, transphobe, anti-Semite, anti-Muslim, etc. gets you fired from your job. That POS once called for gay people to be executed. So no sympathy is expressed over the whole event.

# posted by Homer : 11:35 AM

Monday, August 18, 2025

I was in the newspaper yesterday.

Tucson was founded 250 years ago. I have been uncovering its history for 33 years. Time certainly flies.

The newspaper photographer had me pose. Who is this old man?

2025

# posted by Homer : 10:21 AM

Wednesday, July 30, 2025

I was off social media for a couple of months. Whenever I took a glimpse of what is happening on Facebook or Instagram or the news, I would be (and still am) filled with rage.

Matt gave me some off-brand Lego-like kits (a camper and a Trojan Horse). Eventually I started building them and discovered that it was entertaining and a way to not think about things.

I decided to make a model of the Presidio chapel, using the 1860 drawing of the church.

June 1860 drawing.

I used a photo of the interior of the church at Oquitoa, Sonora as a model.

Mision San Antonio Paduano del Oquitoa.

I had to purchase many pounds of Lego bricks and special order many small bricks and other items. They arrive at work and my co-workers think I am obsessed (accurate).

The front of the church mirrors the drawing pretty well. I have the stand with two bells and a pile of adobe bricks visible in the drawing.

Church facade.

I tiled the floor of the church- the original probably had a dirt floor. Wall niches hold saint statues.. I used photos of paintings at San Xavier mission and spray glued them to larger tiles.

Interior view.

An altar is present at the front of the church. Matt and I are holding hands inside.

Altar view.

I made a confessional for the altar area.

Confessional and altar.

A walled cemetery with an iron cross is described in an 1820 inventory of the church.

Cemetery.

Next to the church was a small house with a corner fireplace, table, and sleeping mat.

House interior.

A bread oven stands next to the house and church.

Bread oven.

My mother would have loved this. She liked dolls and dollhouses. When I was five we went to Ace Hardware for my birthday and I got a Nylint house trailer for five dollars. It had plastic furniture. My mother gave me PeeWee dolls for it. My father hated it, "It's a dollhouse." I still have it.

I'm making a blacksmith shop and a Santa's workshop next. It is very calming sorting bulk bricks (I discovered you can get them for cheap on Goodwill.com) and planning a build. Of course you have to spend money, and the sets available can be pricey. It is still cheaper than going to see a shrink.

# posted by Homer : 8:02 PM

Sunday, July 13, 2025

I have been avoiding Facebook and Instagram. I watch videos on Youtube and occasionally see ones in which the ICE NAZIS are kidnapping people. I cannot tell you what I wish would happen to those Nazis. And now Congress has passed a bill to vastly increase the number.

So the Orange Monster will have his own tax-payer paid-for army of racist Nazis. After they run out of immigrants who will they go after next?

# posted by Homer : 8:39 AM

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

May is passing by. We have been having a relatively cool spring, very happy about that. Now it is starting to warm up.

Matt's co-op has at least four loquat trees. Loquats are from southeast Asia. They have a sweet-sour fruit with two to four big brown seeds inside.

Loquats on the tree.

I picked a big pot to make jam.

Before removing seeds.

I washed them, cut them in half, and removed the seeds. In the pot I added the juice of one or two of my lemons and some sugar.

Starting to cook.

I made six jars, one of which broke in the canner. I gave one to Matt, one to Emilee and RH, and one to Phillip. I will use the big jar as cake filling.

Canned.

This year is the 250th anniversary (officially August 20th. Barrio Brewery is making a special Presidio Pale Ale. I got to tour the brewery. Very interesting to see how beer is made and put in cans.

Barrio Brewery.

Last year a big wind storm damaged two trees at my house, the willow acacia in the front yard and the mesquite in the backyard. I paid $800 for the tree guys to remove the damaged limbs. They also worked on the two sour orange trees. The orange trees must have liked it because they suddenly started blooming, months after they are supposed to.

Tree trimming.

I have completed another book, Pioneer African Americans of Pima County, Arizona Territory. Over 400 pages long with hundreds of people in it. The next step is to have it professionally edited and formatted and make an index.

On May 7, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the host of Finding Your Roots on PBS came and spoke at the University of Arizona. I dragged Matt to it and my friend Todd came down from Phoenix. I brought along a bound draft copy to give to him, but he left the stage and a dancer came on, so I thought I would have to mail it to him.

Outside we were talking and a woman who sat next to me suddenly said, "There he is walking by!" I turned and it was him. So I hurried over to the car he was about to get into and handed him the book. He shook my hand and asked me to autograph the book. At the end of his talk he had said how important it was to research the African Americans who lived out West. And of course Matt didn't realize what was happening and so no photo of me with Skip. Still, one of the highlights of my life.

Afterward we went to the 4th Avenue Twist restaurant for Indian food.

Matt and Todd.

# posted by Homer : 5:07 PM

Sunday, April 27, 2025

I had to take a break from Facebook, Instagram, and the news. All of the horrible things happening. Watching my 401K disappear (down $88,000 last time I checked, from January 20th).

So filled with rage toward that vile piece of shit who got elected President. The worst. The world will be better place when he is six feet under.

I attended another protest on the 19th. Fewer people but still thousands turned out. The next day was Egg Day. I made mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese, Rice a roni. Also made yellow cupcakes with strawberry puree filling and strawberry cream cheese frosting. They were delicious.

Have spent more money at Joann's. Holiday ornaments, fake flowers, fabric, crafting materials, and cotton batting for a quilt. Matt plans on making three quilts. I sent Addison and Elizabeth over to purchase Holiday ornaments- little cute animals. They bought about 100 for their stores. I have enough to decorate an animal-themed Holiday tree (only seven months to go before decoration starts). I explained to Matt that thinking about decorating meant I was not thinking/raging about other things.

Ruby still hates Rowan AKA Doug Jr. Growls at him if he gets too close, snaps at him if he gets closer. Poor little puppy just wants someone to play with. Sometimes Puff Jr. obliges and swats at him from a chair.

What a strange time we live in.

# posted by Homer : 9:40 PM

Tuesday, April 15, 2025

I attended the protest on April 5th at Reid Park. My sign, "I.C.E. = NAZIS." There were thousands of people there. Most of the cars passing honked their horns in support. I was there for 1.5 hours and saw only seven cars with pro-Orange Rapist people. One woman in a truck screamed "Paid protesters!" at us. We laughed and I wondered aloud, "Where's my check?"

Well since January 20th my 401K has dropped almost $88,000. That Fucking Piece of Shit is busy destroying the economy and his idiot advisors are cheering him on. Lots of insider trading going on, so there are getting richer. I go to the White House Facebook page daily and leave comments calling his a Fucking Piece of Shit and if Melanie shows up, the First Whore. Also on the I.C.E. page lots of NAZIS and Gestapo comments.

Apparently 20,000 people attended.

I have been monitoring trenches behind Teatro Carmen, which is being restored and new sewer and water lines, along with stage foundations. I have found four outhouse pits. Not a huge amount of artifacts, but I have had a couple of fun days collecting artifacts.

Two buckets of bottles.

They took down the pressed tin ceilings from 1915. They will sand blast the old paint off and paint them copper, which is what they used to be, before reinstalling them.

Ceiling panel.

Last weekend Matt and I applied a coating of the white rubberized coating on the roof of my house and the guest house. I confess, climbing down the ladder is no fun. We have another layer to paint on yet.

Matt on the roof.

Puff J'Markus Jr. and Smokey the Bear are about 10 or 11 months old now and full grown. Puff has become a cuddle cat while Smokey likes to be petted but always want to play bite. They got fixed a while ago, right after one of them started peeing in the house. Luckily that stopped.

Puff and Smokey.

Still figuring out the sewing machine. Was able to get thread wound on the bobbin. Then was able to correctly thread the needle. But when I sew large amounts of thread ends up on the bottom side. Doug says the tension may be off. I will investigate.

# posted by Homer : 3:14 PM

Sunday, March 30, 2025

I've been very grumpy and angry in the last six weeks. The hell we are going through because of the Orange Shithead and Apartheid Boy. 46 more months of this bullshit. Someone gave me a bottle of champagne for our wedding and I look forward to drinking it when Orange Rapist dies. Hurry up.

We went to the Rodeo. The patriotic bullshit was ridiculous. At least I got to wear my new shirt.

Homer and Matt in Rodeo attire.

Joann's is closing. Matt and I have been going repeatedly. I have stocked up on craft materials- paper, paints, pipe cleaners, Holiday stuff. Also have bought a lot of cloth (mostly Holiday themed) and a sewing machine. I have to figure out how to use it, my first attempt at sewing was unsuccessful and I had to remove the bobbin cover to get out all of the thread that was jammed in there.

Holiday fabrics.

Ruby hates Doug Junior (AKA Scooter AKA Rowan). She growls at him. The little dog runs around like crazy and that freaks Ruby out. I wish they would become friends. Ruby turned seven this month and is now middle-aged.

Doug Jr. and Ruby.

I made Matt a chocolate mayonnaise biirthday cake with chocolate Nutella cream cheese frosting. It was delicious.

Matt's 48th cake.

We attended the ceremony for Joe Pagac's new mural on the Transamerica Building. I watched as he and wife Linka painted over the course of a couple of weeks. Standing in the Presidio Museum plaza it is amazing to see.