life (and these wood slabs) really is like a box of chocolates

So much time whirls by (counting by years) between the time that we cut the tree/log into flitch sawn lumber, and when we get it back from the kiln, and we never really know what's "inside the chocolate covered cherry" until we finally get it planed down.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the movie Forest Gump (actually, I think it's time to add it to my Netflix queue).  So many interesting life scenes and analysis.  But this morning, we placed a unusually thick, dining table sized oak slab on the planer.  I was remembering where the tree came from and just how long it's been since we began working on this eventual dining table - well, it's been years, at least three.  And, before the carbide teeth of the planer get to it, I still don't have a clue just what we've got there.  Will it have dark blue metal stain like many of the urban oaks trees?  Will there be know holes?  Did it get wet and rot a bit (this can be either catastropic or amazingly glorious)?  Did it warp too much to be able to level it back and still have some thickness?  What condition will the edges be in??? What color and texture will the grain be once it has been oiled and finished.  Since we never used stain, the answer to this question is particularly interesting and important.

Well, for this particular slab, we will be finding out in a few minutes.  I'm heading outside when I complete this sentence, to see what's under the "chocolate cover".