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.