Tuesday, December 26, 2006

'Twas the Night After Christmas

What a difference a little primer makes! Keep scrolling!



FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 24, 2006

'Twas the night after Christmas,
just returned from the place.
I worked in the attic
got dust on my face.
..
There's now insulation I put in up there
in hopes of this summer keeping in the cold air.
..
The kitchen is closer,
the water heaters are gone!
The time for new cabinets
will now not be long.
..
..
A fresh coat of primer
was placed on some walls.
I can't wait to see
when there's paint on them all.
..
We got a good rain.
The town needed it so.
The house now stays dry
as far as I know.
..
I took out a window
that needed repair.
With pane that was broken,
it didn't keep in air.
..
The sheetrock's not finished -
oh, my, what a mess.
We're still making progress
that's comfort, I guess.
..
The cats send their greetings
- sounds like "Meowy Christmas"
Little Leo's still recovering.
Do you think he misses us?
..
The plumbing's still pending.
Gas meters need moved
Some new pipes are waiting,
Hope water pressure's improved.
..
The mantel is primed
Where's OSHA Babe now?
Sanding in the kitchen
She's really learned how!
..
The feet for the bathtubs
came back plated nickel.
What gorgeous paws and claws!
We really are tickled!
..
Next year we have plans to host a Yule feast
with Patty's famous brisket, or turkey, at least.
You know that you're welcome in our house, the "casa"
If you don't come to join us, we'll wonder "Que pasa?"
..
Make plans to come see us
But don't get in a rush
If you're here before summer
Expect a paint brush!
..
So visit and enjoy this favorite time of year
with family and friends you consider so dear.
It's hard to believe that '07 is close;
Of all your enjoyable years, we do hope it's the most!
..
God bless you next year with contentment and health.
Please see His care for you in more ways than wealth.
Have joy and give thanks for the gift of His Son-
Of all reasons to celebrate, that's the best one!

Monday, December 18, 2006

OSHA Babe pleads case for 3-legged cat

Can I come home with you?
The deck before and after

Fireplace before and after
FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 17, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS
1. The deck is finally finished. You will notice from the "Before" and "After" pictures that we have an unobstructed view from the back window of the house, a small deck outside of both doors on the back of the house, and a hot water heater closet in the enclosed area under the stairs. I have primed the area and it already looks so much better than the unpainted areas nearby.
2. Jimmy, the electrician, continues to work methodically as he goes down the list. I do need to clear one of the water heaters from its spot in the kitchen so Jimmy can install an outlet for the refrigerator along with outlets for the microwave and electric starter for the gas stove. Hopefully, that will wrap up this week.
3. CAT UPDATE -- How can you resist Little Leo's face in the picture above? Leo's injury to one of his hind legs was severe and resulted in an amputation. Our neighbor, Mary Alice, has teamed with her sister, Meggan, to provide post op cat convalescence. Reports are good that he is a good patient, is using a litter box, looks marvelous in his little cone/collar that keeps him from licking his stitches. Check out Meggan's comment on last week's block for her assessment. OSHA Babe (yes, the one who is allergic to cats) and her tender heart are working along with Meggan and Mary Alice to find a good home for Little Leo. Join the cause.
4. After 3+ weeks of diligent work (OSHA approved, of course), the fireplace mantel has been primed. The plan is to sand lightly, paint, sand lightly, coat, sand lightly, and coat again. Doesn't it look immensely better than where we started?
5. Sheetrocking in the upstairs rooms began last Monday. The contractor is a young man who is trying to mature and build a business. That provides some interesting challenges for both him and me. Hopefully, patience and his continued willingness to listen will pay off.
6. VISITORS - We got shut out on visitors this week.
NEXT STEPS
1. We need to get the kitchen ready for cabinets, applicances, electrical, gas lines, floors, and painting. Hopefully, we'll get the water heaters moved this week and make progress on the other items. OSHA Babe continues to insist on the wearing of masks while sanding. There is always plenty of dust.
2. Sheetrock work should continue. Stay tuned on this one.
3. Hopefully, I will get the kitchen cleared so Jimmy can finish the electrical work in there.
4. Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS with family and friends. MAY GOD BLESS YOU IN 2007 with contentment and prosperity.

Friday, December 08, 2006

We'll Leave The Lights On For You

Why wait 'til next year?
Christmas lights are on!



Digging ditches but not for lack of a good education

















Uncle Joe visited 12-7-2006




FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 10, 2006

HIGHLIGHTS
1. Our first Christmas Lights are up! Guess who was in charge of decorating? OSHA Babe continues to display her many talents but has yet to produce snow in San Antonio (although we did have sleet on Friday). We also received our first Christmas card at the house! It is proudly displayed on the still being sanded mantle. Thanks, Dad and Virginia!
2. The other lights are coming on in the house. The electrician is methodically moving through the house to make sure that everything is working as it should. In addition, he has added a 3 way switch and a fixture in the stairs. There is a porch light now. This one, not the Christmas Lights, is the one we'll leave on for you.
3. Let's get ready to Rumble!!! "Cat Fight!" in high school usually meant that a couple of girls were going at it. Last Tuesday morning, "Cat Fight!" apparently meant that the WWF (World Wrestling Felines) of Park Avenue had a Battle Royal. Our Little Leo got messed up pretty bad with a hind leg that won't work. He has been hobbling around on his other 3 legs all week. One of the neighbors took him to the vet on Friday. We don't have the results. Another of the cats, "Bad Boy", must have met his match as evidenced by the gaping gash under his left jaw. Tuesday afternoon, a band of 8 - 10 cats from who knows where was strutting their stuff across the street. Maybe they are the ruffian culprits. (Sorry folks, it was a slow news week.)
4. I was told repeatedly that I needed to get a good education or I would end up digging ditches. From the picture above, it would seem that I wasn't paying attention. The ditch being dug is for a new water line from the shutoff valve into the house. We're hoping to get better water pressure. Hopefully, we can make some more progress on the plumbing this week. Incidentally, OSHA Babe made the final decisions and ordered the kitchen and bath fixtures --Ouch!$$$$$$
5. PpppppppppRrrrrrrrrrOoooooooooGggggggggRrrrrrrrrrrrEeeeeeeeSsssssssSsssssss on the deck is SssssssssssssLlllllllllllllOooooooooooWwwwwwwwww. Need I say Mooooooore.
6. This was another special week for visitors. My dear Uncle Joe spent a few days with us and provided some on site supervision on Thursday. Uncle Joe is one of my uncles who taught me valuable skills like driving a tractor and hoeing grass burrs out of irrigation ditches at the tender age of 12. (This supplements my "When I was your age, I walked to school uphill both ways, barefooted in the snow 7 miles" stories.) We continue to meet neighbors. Don't worry about the neighborhood, we exchanged introductions with the Kennedys. (Guess what his first name is -- yep, it's John.) Another neighbor, Candy Anderson, stopped by to check on the progress and referred us to a sheetrock contractor who is scheduled to start this Monday. Another neighbor that we met this week, Mary Alice, is the one who took Little Leo to the vet.

NEXT STEPS
1. Electrical work should continue. Hopefully, it will wrap up before Christmas.
2. Sheetrock work is scheduled to begin on Monday. At $40/room for labor, I hope that we get good work.
3. WwwwwwwwwOoooooooooRrrrrrrrrrrrKkkkkkkkkkk on the deck to continue to continue.
4. There is always followup. The list currently includes checking with the Historic Preservation Office on permitting requirement for garage, status on the kitchen cabinets, picking up the clawfoot tub feet that should be nickel plated, CPS site visit to determine if moving the gas meter is necessary. This could also be a big week for the tangerine harvest.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Don't Try This at Home

...It's true! They're gone! ............Not OSHA Babe approved




<-- Pat, Dee, and Diane
FOR THE WEEK ENDING DECEMBER 3, 2006

What an active week! There was a ton of activity on numerous fronts.

1. The hydraulic lifts are finally gone! The last one rolled out on Tuesday and was worth the picture.
2. The deck construction began. Building the deck will involve reworking the stairs on the back side of the house to clear a window in the kitchen. Additionally, there will be an enclosed hot water heater closet under the stairs. (Not too exciting unless you remember that there are two 50 gallon water heaters in the kitchen right now.) For a time lapsed view of the deck construction, try out this link - http://tobinhillhappenings.blogspot.com
3. Electrical work is involved with the deck. Both the water heater and water softener require electricity. While the electrician is here, he's going through the house to add a few lights and make sure that everything already there is working.
4. The foundation contractor is back doing some additional work. Earlier, I discovered that one of the new beams that they installed was loose. They are back out putting 2 additional piers in and should finish next week.
5. My painting work this week was not OSHA Babe approved. As you can see from the picture, I'm way up there on the scaffold. (Kids, don't try this at home -- or if you do, make sure your Mom is not at home.) I didn't have help this week to move the scaffolding into position to paint the highest point of the gable end. That still looms.
6. The second claw foot bath tub got spruced up with fresh paint inside and out. The guy who did the tub, James, just happens to work for a company that does custom cabinets, Alamo City Renovations. When his associate, Robert, came out to give an estimate, we were impressed by not only the quality of his work but also by his enthusiasm for restoring old houses. We could have kitchen cabinets installed by the end of the year.
7. Did I mention a water line breaking on the side of the house? We had a 30+ degree temperature swing in the early AM hours on Thursday that may have played a role in a compression joint separating and water spewing for about 10 minutes right before I was going to leave for the day. My plumber neighbors, Emilio and Larry, helped shut the water off to the house, gave me "Galvanized Pipe Repair 101", and I remedied that particular problem on Friday. Have you ever considered a water leak at the end of the day while you were still around (vs. occurring while you are gone) to be a blessing?
8. Visitors this week included long time friends Dee Robertson and Diane Simpson. These ladies have their own home decorating business, "My Home At Last" and thought that the house has a lot of potential. When they drove up, I had just crawled out from under the house and was wearing my finest blue collar designer knee pads and elbow pads and carrying my sawzall. (Hopefully, they saw my potential also.) Their comments were yet another encouragement to stay the course on the long road ahead.
Another visitor was Sybil, wife of James the tub man. Her grandparents had a house nearby when she was small. There is still a tender spot in her heart for old houses.
See the latest feature, Visitors' Photo Album, at http://tobinhillvisitorspictures.blogspot.com
NEXT STEPS
1. Complete deck, electrical checks, and foundation enhancements.
2. Pick up 2nd clawfoot tub.
3. Begin plumbing under the house with the help of my neighbors. Hard water in to water softener with 4 hose bibs and 1 icemaker, blah, blah, blah (for those of you who love this kind of stuff. For those of you who like the cuter things, check out Little Leo's portrait in the tobinhillvisitorspictures - see the link above).
4. As always, 1. scrape, 2. paint, 3. repeat.
5. OSHA Babe continues working on the mantel. She's putting up Christmas lights at the house. Deck the halls.
6. Eat more tangerines. They are ripening quickly.