Moving to the outside...

Some things you may not notice in P1...
  - The soffit has now been fixed where it was pushed down by the foam insulation.  (Do we get a passing grade now, Randy?)
  - The weeds that had grown up around the foundation are gone in prep for putting up the siding.
  - John is sitting down on the job while he foams around the pipes to the outdoor faucets (so the mice can't join us this winter).
  - And when I took this photo it was still in the shade.  We gave it up when the sun and high temps reached us.

P2 - If you squint you might be able to see the trench I raked over (during the "big fuss").  The weeds from around the "hole" got clipped back this morning and the piles of rocks from the raking got carted away.  One of my flower beds got the first weeding of the season and, in spite of total neglect, actually looks pretty good.  Perennials truly are the "energizer bunnies" of the garden.

Coming up short...

Anyone have a wood stretcher?  We were working merrily away (no grumbles today) on putting up the rest of the wainscoting when, hold your horses, we had no more.  Only 4 pieces short and we couldn't conjure up any more.  So P1 is still an "incomplete" picture as is P2.  You got two today of the same thing because of all the clutter.

On other good notes...
This is our one week anniversary of using only hot water made by our new solar heating system.  I'm also pleased to announce that John & I & the dishes are still clean.

John got out the lawn tractor and "pulled" the scoop for the bigger tractor out of the ditch and back to "safety" behind the barn.

And... we ordered the siding for the outside to be delivered next week.  Fall & winter is coming after all.

A no photo day...

It was an absolutely beautiful day in upstate.  Since we're sure to eventually get some rain from Isaac and today was relatively cool, we decided to rake over the trench and do some filling.  I started the raking while John got the tractor going to get some dirt for fill.  I raked.  John fussed with the tractor.  I raked.  John fussed with the tractor. I raked.  John fussed with the tractor. I raked.  John & Stan fussed with the tractor.  And so it went.
Bottom line - I got the raking done.  John with Stan's help finally got the tractor out of the ditch (you don't really want to know) where it had stopped and refused to start again.
PS - I was not to take photos or make any comments - is this a comment?  However, now it's a beautiful evening in upstate.

MM...

Finally... a little wind, a little sun, a little (but only a little) water in the sailboat.  John was a happy sailor this weekend.  If you really quint and use your imagination you can see him and Terry sailing toward the back of Grindstone Island in the St. Lawrence.  It was all I could do to drag him away to put his nose to the "grindstone" here at home.

MM (that's short for "more muntins", those little strips of wood between the window panes - will they never end?).  At any rate I painted the last of them today although you'd never know it to look at the photo.  Antique white on white primer isn't very showy.  And we got the last two window casings in place.  Don't cheer yet.  We still have a ways to go on our "inner" project.

The bar scene...

After one evening and two stiff necks later, we decided we were too old to "enjoy" the bar scene.  This morning while I wasn't looking, John garnered his strength and brought the TV safely back to earth.  Now we're "exploring" the possibility of mounting it on the wall pretty much where you see it under that little half wall.  This time we're trying it out first on a box before hiding the wires and making a decision.

P2 - John has been busy mending the water pipe to the garden that had to be severed when the line for the solar hot water was run.  And he started filling in the trench where it was left open for him to do bit more work on the connections.  Our hot water is now into its second day being heated solely by the sun and so far we haven't frozen in the shower and the dishes are clean.  (Seems appropriate we get it up and running just as Romney announces his neanderthal energy proposal...)

P3 - Meanwhile the painting crew (otherwise know as me), got the first coat of blue on the trim of the big window and the finish coat (I hope) of antique white (white that one does not expect to look clean & new) on the windows.

PS - Don't expect a post until after the weekend as we have other things going on.

How to hang a TV...

P1 - Take the TV off its pedestal and put it somewhere safe.  If you're really worried have your cat lay on it to keep it from falling.
P2 - Invite a friend over and convince them this is going to be fun.  John is getting really good at this so, once again, be warned.
P3 - Heft it into place.  Yep, you see it right.  We're putting it above the opening between the two rooms.  Just think bar and you get the general idea.
P4 - Heft it down again so you can plug it in.  Bruce did suggest this initially but...
P5 - Walla!  TV - if there was only something worth watching.  Yes, Mother, it's well secured so it won't clunk any of us on the head.  Bertha studied it atop the ladder just to make sure.
P6 - Since the TV went up so quickly and Bruce has been working out at the fitness center and it was so much fun... he also helped John carry in and mount the new radiator for the sun room (white thing on the wall in amongst the clutter).  Thank you Bruce!

Just in case you got so involved with the TV mounting, please note that I did get the trim around the opening painted blue.  If you don't believe me just check yesterday's blog where it was only primed.  And, once again, no pictures of the solar hot water but John did complete the installation today and so far it's working fine. The real test will come when we hit the shower...

Stalking the wild...

P1 & P2 , even though a bit fuzzy because they were taken through the window, are for George & Joe.  The white spot in the road is our little Gus intent on stalking the deer in the field.  Size is no object to his, even littler, brain.

P3 & P4 - our guests are all gone so it's back to priming the woodwork (and making a mess).  Meanwhile it was back to the basement for John.  One would think he's been a bad boy but he's just putting the finishing touches on our solar hot water system. Someday soon...

Diggin' it...

John pressurized the solar hot water connections and deemed the pipe ready to bury.  Thank heavens for Tony who lives just up the road and his little backhoe!  P1 - digging the trench. P2 - filling it back in again.  (Please note they did remember to put the pipe in before P2.

P3 - The ground ended up a bit too high next to the back of the house so...
P4 - Smoothing out the dirt.

Some of you seem to think we work hard but it's nothing compared to Tony.  He's a roofer by trade and was on the job (roof) at 5:30 this morning (about an hours drive away) and came over here after he got off work.  Meanwhile John & I slept in until 6:30, cooked breakfast for the last of our guests etc. etc.  We have life easy!

PS - I hear that some of you may not remember Earlville's "house in the hole".  This is the blog link that has a photo I did in an earlier post.  http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=33215318#editor/target=post;postID=115849632668164455;onPublishedMenu=overview;onClosedMenu=overview;postNum=4;src=postname

Gone...

Even though John's did some plumbing with the solar hot water system in the basement yesterday, it's nothing I wanted to look at yet alone share.  So today (just so those of you who read this on regular basis don't give me a lot of grief) I thought I'd share the following news article John wrote.
(PS - No post tomorrow)

Date Line:  Earlville, NY

After nearly a decade of being high on the list of Earlville, NY tour sites,  the now  dubiously famous "House in the Hole"" is no more.  We gasped as we took our B&B guests to see this site last night only to find that in the last week it was filled in and is gone forever.

We all know that change is good but this was a special place that will live in our memories for a long time...not unlike the use of six charcoal briquettes to roast a T-Day turkey.  It will be missed.

Uncle John G.

Will they never learn?

Don, Charlie & Gil dropped by today just to say hello.  Sure enough, before they'd barely had time to have a cup of coffee, John was showing them his "little project".  The task was to get the additional length of piping for the solar hot water through the plastic sleeve to protect it when it's buried.

At 3 in the morning a little angel had whispered in John's ear to use his shop vacuum to "suck" a lightweight line through the tubing.  It was barely light and John was out giving it a try.  It worked!  He used the light line to pull through a heavy duty line that he hooked to the piping.  The "boys" happened to show up at just the right time (for us or should I say me) and before long Charlie & Gil, with appropriate supervision from Don, had made short work of the task.

When west comes east...

Tom Sawyer may have tricked his friends into helping with a fence but Uncle John has taken that technique to a whole new level.  Hmmmm, Bridge is here from Seattle.  Hmmmm, Kenny is here from Boulder. (Both strong, both willing to help with John's "little" projects.)  Hmmmm, the solar panels to heat our water just happen to need installing.  I understand Bridge was a master at digging the post holes (sorry I missed getting a photo) and Kenny was a master at engineering the framing.  (Sarah & I muscled those panels into place and if you believe that...)  Walla - at the end of the day the panels were in place and ready for the piping.

Of course the real action took place on the croquet court.  There were the guys = Bridge, Kenny, John & Dave.  There were the gals = Patty, Joey, Renee, Sarah.  Not to rub it in or anything, but let's just say the guy Gus was "helping" lost first, followed by the rest of the guys.  Then the gals "politely" finished with Sarah the grand champion.  Way to go Sarah!!

A "W" day...

Busy, busy, busy...
P1 - The trim is up around the big window and the wainscoting is on the wall.  Whew!
P2 - The trim is up around the opening to the new room & that little bit of wainscoting to the bottom left is painted.  Whew!
P3 - The trim around the opening on the new room side is also all up.  Whew!
P4 - The two hanging lights that go over my work table are installed.  (John put them in while I was away having ladies night out with... the ladies.)  Way to go John!

Just to let you know we're taking the next few days off to clean and organize for family, friends and B&B guests who will be staying with us next week.  Somehow we have to whip things into presentable condition.  Wish us luck and lots of energy...

Triplets...

"Our" doe had triplets this year.  This is the first time I've seen them out on their own.  They were no where to be seen this evening... probably getting an ear full from mama.

I actually got the faux painted wall in the kitchen to match what was there - a bit difficult since I mix my own and your guess is as good as mine what the proportions were the last time I did it.  The yellow walls in the new room are the same color.  The flash just made them look darker.

And the trim goes on...

Tall Texans...

P1 - Tall Texan?  No, that's John installing the storm/screen door.  The flies have decided that summer must be nearing an end so are looking for winter accommodations.  Hence we've ended our "open" door & window policy and put the screens in.
P2 - Painted the trim and the first coat of paint on the inside of the door John is at.  Remind me again why I insisted we have true divided lights? They take an eon to paint.
P3 - The green wainscoting is all painted (I hope!).
P4 - Aw! (or is that Awe!?)  When Oletta volunteered her husband & two teenage sons (Dallas folks & all fit, strong & over 6 ft.) for heavy lifting we didn't think twice.  Although the room isn't finished they moved our sofa & chairs into it for us.  Yes!
P5 - The kitchen side of the opening to the new room.  Because of the "trauma" to that wall I'm in the process of repainting it.
P6 - At one point over the weekend the kitchen looked fairly neat and tidy.  Today it's back to the mess although the floor is considerably cleaner.

Paint etc...

P1 - At last!  The lime green closet has turned the same color as the wainscoting.  (Don't think it's done.  Darn!  It needs a second coat.)  Note too, the trim around the window has now been painted.  It does have two coats!!!
P2 - The plank for the desk is now in place and just got a second coat of varnish.  (For some reason the photo makes it look like it's installed crooked but it's spot on level.)  The wood around the soon-to-be stairs has been installed and varnished.  The clapboard wall has a second coat of paint.  And John parged the foundation wall that's exposed.
P3 - The very long window sill is now in place.
P4 - Our friend Jen sent the kitties a Zhu Zhu chipmunk because they loved the one her daughter brought out.  It chirps and scoots about (children under 3 should not play with them so it only took me about half an hour to figure out how to turn the thing on..)
P5 - Gus, "Who me?  Share?"
P6 - Gus, "Mine, all mine."  Bertha, "I'll go play with my own toys..."
Thank you Jen!  It's a big hit.
Don't expect a blog report for the next couple of days as we have guests coming.