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.