Grand Daughter Lily has arrived!

Proud parents and Lily Belle
Grandma Patty and Grandma Dale were just outside of the door of the delivery room to hear her first cry

Proud grandparents









Can these pictures be worth a thousand words til we sit down and write about them? We are happy, thrilled, and proud to say the least. What a great week! We thank God for Lily's safe arrival.





It was not the work on the house that brought Aunt Shanna and friend Marilyn to San Antonio!























First time visit to the house by Shanna's friend, Marilyn




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2. Work is in progress on the Phase 2 rooms.



























































Window repair completedMoving stuff aroundCloset changeWiringSheetrockingNEXT STEPS:1. Tape, Float, Texture, Primer, Paint, window and door trim

Lily's room is ready and we're working on yours

Everything is ready and waiting for Miss Lily Belle

We call the two back rooms "Phase Two" Transformation from construction/storage zone to office and guest room has begun
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The sheet rock work is not easy with floor and walls not quite plumb
The Final Four weekend brought visitors from Andy and Bethany's alma mater, Rochester College



Pat's Beth Moore Bible study group enjoyed lunch together in spite of the work in progress
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FOR THE WEEK ENDING APRIL 20, 2008

1. Katy enters the hospital Monday morning and we are anxious to welcome little Lily Belle into our family. The last few weeks have found Katy resting at home to safeguard the pregnancy but her patience has been rewarded with good reports for mom and baby and tomorrow is the big day! Life really is good in Tobin Hill! We are so grateful to God for this blessing. Psalms 128 speaks of God's goodness in allowing us to see our children's children. We look forward to sharing our joy with all of you.

2. Bo and Charlie have been working hard on Phase Two-the back two rooms that were added on to the house 60 or 70 so years ago. They definitely did not have the quality workmanship of the rest of the house and sheetrocking has been a real challenge. Bo will give more details on all of that when he sits down to share our big news tomorrow.

3. We enjoyed a visit with guests from Rochester College who were in town for the Final Four weekend. Pat's Bible study group also had lunch together even though the dining room is adjacent to the work going on in the back two rooms. They managed to have a lively conversation even with the noise of the air compressor and nail gun and the work going on at the house next door.

March Madness is in the air

Somehow Leo knows that Aunt Tres is a cat person

Life is good in Tobin Hill with Bill Miller Barbecue and Blue Bell

Trim work on the stairs made Frank, the floor man's, job complete

Frank, the Floor Man

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Bo helped several neighbors with the demolition of a nearby house

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Finish Carpenter, Charlie, has rebuilt 4 of the 8 windows in the "Phase 2" rooms .

.There is much window replacement to be done

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.Adding chair rail trim in the Mud Room

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.Sean and Leo say "good morning!"

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Maddie is prettier than our new hall tree (that's her pretty mama Michelle in the mirror)

.Stacey brings the Austin music scene to Tobin Hill

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Pat's ushering friend requested a picture in the clawfoot tub

Rachel, Mark, and Baby M take the tour

Leo and another of his many admirers, Danielle .

.Daniel, Darian, Minnie, and Danielle make the room brighter

Sabinal Cousin Nettie and her friend, Nell, were in San Antonio and stopped by
Katy and Buck with OSHA Gran at the presentation of the heirloom cradle that Buck's Great-Grandfather Johnson made for his arrival in 1976

For the week ending March 30, 2008

What can I say? It's March. The Spurs are on. We are down to the Final Four. My blogger has a lot on his plate. But this is a good start. More details and captions to come! We promise.

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Another significant milestone has been reached with the beginning of work in the "Phase 2" rooms. P2 is basically 2 rooms that were added on to the back of the original house that have had little done to them over the past year and a half. With so much needed in the original house, we decided to leave those rooms alone until the rest of the house was closer to being finished.

. When we began working on the windows in the P2 rooms, we found that 4 of the 8 window frames needed to be totally rebuilt due to water damage. Finish carpenter Charlie has done a meticulous job building new frames and has already installed 2 of the 4 new frames. You can see from some of the pictures above that this involved leaving gapping holes in the house between the time that the old windows are removed and the new ones installed.

. After the windows are installed, there is supplemental framing that needs to be done, electrical outlets to be reinstalled, cabling to be pulled for tv and internet access, sheetrock to be hung, tapped, floated, and textured, painting, floors refinished, trim installed, and furniture to be placed. Other than that, we're nearly done.

2. Speaking of trim work, it is already going on in other parts of the house. Although it doesn't seem like much, adding trim is the final touch that takes a room from being 95% complete to 100%. The picture of the trim at the back of each stair is a perfect example. My working on the chair rail in the Mud Room was just one of the other trim efforts recently completed. On your next visit, we will show you the trim around the pocket doors and the new baseboards (complete with quarter round) in the master closet. If that thrills you to no end, I have one small suggestion for you --- get a life!

3. Does Little Leo (the cat in the first 2 pictures above) look like he has a rough life? Despite evidence to the contrary, he is an outside cat. However, he does have a taste for Blue Bell ice cream and Bill Miller BBQ sandwiches. Leo got into Charlie the carpenter's truck recently and found the half sandwich that Charlie had not eaten and took care of it. He was noticeably disappointed the next day when all he got was dry cat food. But someone has to remind him that, contrary to his feline opinion, he really is a cat.

4. We love having visitors and apparently, they love coming. Since last blog entry, we have had -

- Nephew Stephen with wife Michelle and kids Sean and Maddie from Houston,

- Niece Stacey from Austin

- Friends Mark and Rachael along with their soon-to-be-born child

- One of Pat's ushering friends from the Majestic Theater

- Church friends Daniel, Minnie, Darian, and Danielle

- Cousin Nettie and her friend, Nell, from Sabinal

- Son and daughter-in-law, Buck and Katy, and their soon-to-be-born daughter, Lily

Who's next? Maybe you?

NEXT STEPS:

1. Speaking of Lily, that granddaughter should be here any day now. Mom-to-be, Katy, is hanging in there. I think that she is ready. They do have bags packed and waiting by the front door for the trip to the hospital.

2. There is much Finish work to be completed around transom windows, baseboards, windows and doors.

3. There is always painting and scraping to be done.

4. After all the windows are installed in the Phase 2 rooms there will be wiring, sheetrocking, painting, finish carpentry, and floors to be done.

5. I want to enclose part of the carport that is behind the house and use it as a workshop/storage area. So far, my efforts to find someone to build it on-site have come to nothing. We will keep looking and get there eventually.

No longer a Construction Zone

It's Sunday night and I am trying to upload some pictures to show you that getting the floors finished really makes it finally look like a house, and not a construction zone. But Google is having some sort of server problem so the pictures will have to wait til morning. Maybe I can get Bo to sit down then as well and tell the story of the progress that has been made the last two weeks. For now, I will just thank him publicly for how hard and diligently he is working. The labor is so tedious and time consuming! He scrapes and sands and paints and stains hour after hour to turn this old house into a gem. Thank you, my love!

Floors, glorious floors!

Welcome to the Entry Way - with newly finished floors (the spots are from the lens of our new camera-not part of the floor)

The floor that did look like this ---

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The Dining Room, Parlor, and Entry Way have the best wood - maple

The Butler's Pantry "Before" Floor

Butler's Pantry "After"

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Master Closet (below) in its previous condition did not win any awards

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Didn't the new floor help?

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.With new shelving installed, the Master Closet is fully functional

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It is hard to work on the house in San Antonio when you are at Yosemite!

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Speech Therapists Michelle, Tina, Linda, and Jenny were in San Antonio for a ...... c-c-c-c-convention

Nephew Steven, Niece Michelle, Great Nephew Sean, and Great Niece Maddie
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.Baby Girl has a name!

For the period ending February 24, 2008

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. The construction zone officially became a residence with the completion of the floor refinishing. Let's hear it for the Floors! Is there a "WOW!" factor? Frank and Lynda, the floor folks responsible for our refinished floors, were too modest to have their pictures taken but we hope they can be featured next time. But didn't they do a fantastic job? The pictures tell the story of their success! I believe that they are more proud of the finished product than we are. And that says a lot.

.....They truly went the extra mile several times in finishing the floors. While we were in California skiing, visiting friends, and going back to Yosemite National Park, Frank and Lynda were wrapping up here in San Antonio. A day before we were scheduled to return, Frank left me a voice mail giving status. There was a bit of drama (Red Flag!) included in the message. It was at the end of their work day. The final coat for finish has just been applied to the floor. The front door had been left ajar (Red Flag!). And who do you think makes a break for it and scampers across the damp floor? Yep, you guessed it - the one, the only, the outside cat, Little Leo (Red Flag!). (For the significance of the "Red Flag" designation and Little Leo's biography, see the previous blog entry.) Frank, using great restraint and a good sense of humor, refrained from eliminating all nine of Little Leo's lives and refinished the floor. The paw prints are gone. The floors are done.

2. Another important part of any residence is closet space. After Bo installed reclaimed longleaf pine flooring and Frank sanded, filled and finished the wood, we finally installed the shelving in the Master Closet. You can see that the floors by themselves look great. But leaving piles of clothes on the beautiful floors was not our definition of a closet. You can see from the appropriate pictures above that we've come a long way baby and are now ready to put some clothes in a longer term resting place than we have have for nearly nine months. OSHA BABE has been incredibly patient with this, and, like Frank with Little Leo, has not demanded all nine of my lives.

3. So, where did the picture of Yosemite Falls come from? (Yes, that is a current picture.) Dear friends from our three year stint in California, the Gabrielsons and Pools, invited us to join them over the Presidents' Birthday weekend in Groveland, CA. at a family cabin. It was great catching up with friends for life. We skiied at Kirkwood and Dodge Ridge, kept the fire going in the cabin, cleared a tree off the power line, walloped Danielle and Marne in Hearts (after they trounced us several times in Nertz), ate sumptously, drove into Yosemite to see how the Creator decorates during winter, and were blessed with a safe return. Bob, congratulations to you and Nancy on your wedding and thank you for the use of the cabin. Adelle and Gabe, thanks for being the brainchildren of the weekend. Gert, Cornelia, Marne, and Danielle, thank you for still including us in your hectic lives.

4. There were actually visitors at our house in San Antonio before we returned from California. Niece Michelle was in town for a Speech Therapists' convention and stayed at the B&B along with her friend Tina. Hubby Steven took a day off from school on Friday and drove over from Houston with Sean and Maddie. They have starred on the blog before and have quite a history. Sean wanted to feed the "jaguars" and Maddie, who was not quite walking the last time she visited, was plenty mobile and eager to keep up with big brother Sean.

.....Late Friday afternoon, the other speech therapists in the group, Linda and Jenny, came by for the tour and mandatory blog picture.

4. Last, but not least, Baby Girl has a name. We proudly prepare for and await the arrival of Lily Belle Brockman!

NEXT STEPS:

1. There is much carpentry work to complete. Much of that is trim work around the baseboards throughout the house. And we are getting close to starting "Phase 2" which consists of finishing out the 2 rooms that were added onto the original house probably in the 1920's. We'll keep you updated on that as it progresses.

2. One more door is refinished and hanging again. The door with sixteen windows that hangs between the Entry Way and the Hallway going to the Dining Room and Butler's Pantry is being scraped in preparation for sanding, staining, and finishing. The glass panes are making this one a tedious undertaking so we'll get plenty of opportunity to report on this one.

3. Now that the floors on the first floor are finished, we need to move the pieces of furniture that we had been storing in the Phase 2 rooms to their more permanent locations. That will really help make the construction zone more like a home.

Two Shades of Red - Pink for Baby Girl and Red Flag for baby cat

Mom 2B Katy went shopping for the new Princess
Granny OSHA Babe never got to dress her sons this way













Remember Little Leo #1 - from November 2006


Would Yogi Berra say that this is "deja vu" all over again in January, 2008?










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Meet Little Leo #2 - or, as he prefers to be called, "Your Highness"

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Master Closet before transformation began
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Master Closet during transformation








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Master Closet after transformation



















Leaded Glass for transom window downstairs














Francisco made this one for the transom window in the Guest Bedroom







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Uncle Joe working for his supper



For the period ending January 27, 2008

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Our grandchild who is on the way is a GIRL! For me, Baby Girl will be the first female to join this family by some way other than marriage. We couldn't have chosen better in the marriage category because our two married sons, along with their old Dad, married very well. But Baby Girl, whose scheduled arrival in late April will give both sides of her family their first grandchild, is coming in another way. I guess that storks still make it to San Antonio.

.....Mom 2B Katy (with help from Aunt Rachel and Glam Gran Dale) has already been shopping for Baby Girl. You can tell from the pictures above that Granny OSHA Babe is right in the middle. Katy, my only request is - can you find something pink for the newest princess?

.....No, Great Aunt Donna, we are not going to sponsor a "Name the Baby" Contest.


2. Now for the RED FLAG! FOR KITTY story. There is a new member of the neighbor hood. You're not going to believe this story. I have taken some literary liberties when it comes to direct quotes. They may not be exact but I bet that they are close.

Once upon a time in a land not very far from here -

. Chapter 1 - Dani, a dear friend from Mexico City days (and yes, Dani, still a dear friend even after this) goes to babysit for her grandchildren while son and daughter-in-law are out of town for the weekend.

. Chapter 2 - On Friday afternoon, Dani arrives at school to pick up Granddaughter. She notices that Granddaughter has an orange tabby kitten (RED FLAG!) with her.

. Granddaughter (who happens to be allergic to cats (RED FLAG!) probably says things like -
.....--"Isn't he cute and cuddly?" (RED FLAG!)
.....--"We can keep him outside." (RED FLAG!)
.....--"Can we take him home?" (RED FLAG!)
.....--"Pleeeeze. I'll be your best friend." (RED FLAG!)
. Granny Dani, who has several outside cats of her own (RED FLAG!) can resist neither the look in the sweet kitty's eyes (RED FLAG!) nor Granddaughter's request and loads up (RED FLAG!) Granddaughter and Kitty.

. Chapter 3 - Next day, the entourage is off to Pets' Mart (RED FLAG!) for health, food, and fashion reasons. (Did I say "Pets' Mart" or "Pet Smart"?) Multi-hundreds of $$'s later, Kitty makes out like a bandit and leaves the store nearly, but not quite, as well off as Baby Girl in item 1 above. Kitty is vaccinated, de-flea'd, wormed, collared, tagged, has a litter box (RED FLAG!), a big bag of kitty litter, a big bag of dried cat food, a case of Fancy Feast, a deluxe carrying cage, numerous kitty toys, two food bowls, two water bowls, a bag of kitty weed (aka Premium Catnip), and an appointment in early February to be "fixed." (Kitty, if you are reading the blog, this is a big RED FLAG! for you, Big Fella.) Kitty is thinking - "Is this a great country or what?!"

. Chapter 4 - Sunday, after saying goodbye to the grandchildren and Kitty, Dani returns to her own home. After Son and Daughter-in-Law return to find their daughter red-eyed (yes, the one who is allergic to cats), Son puts one and one together and calls Mom. He very graciously reflects on his love for his mother BUT (RED FLAG!) says that Kitty in their house is not a good decision and wants Mom to come get the cat (RED FLAG!). Mom (Dani) says "OK, I had planned to come back on Tuesday. I'll pick him up then" to which Son replies, "No, come get him tomorrow."

. Chapter 5 - Monday, Dani drives to Son's house to pick up Kitty before going to Bible study that OSHA Babe attends (RED FLAG!). Unsuspectingly, I'm busy working on the house. Shortly before noon, my phone rings. It's OSHA Babe. (Yes, that OB, the one who also is allergic to cats.) The conversation goes something like this OB-"Hello, darling." (RED FLAG!) "Are you home?" Bo -"Yes. Why do you ask?" OB - "Are you going to be home for the next few minutes?" Bo -"Yes. Why do you ask?" (BIGGER RED FLAG!) OB - "Dani wants to come by. She has something she wants to show you." Bo - "What is it?" OB - "Oh, you'll see when she gets there." (RED FLAG!)

. Chapter 6 - OB and Dani arrive holding Kitty. (RED FLAG!) OB - "Doesn't he look just like Little Leo? (RED FLAG!) I told Dani that you would love to have him." (RED FLAG!)

. Epilogue - Kitty is sweet, playful, litter box trained, and in the process of becoming an outside cat. He and the incumbents, resident feral girls Grey Girl and Bad Girl, are gradually adjusting to each other. At least, they haven't stalked him since Day 3 and he can walk near them without hissing and spitting. OB's eyes still get red when he gets too close but, hey, he's so cute and cuddly, we can keep him outside, can we keep him, and I'll be your best friend!!!! How could I resist (RED FLAG!)

3. Now that OB has come out of the closet as being a cat lover, let me tell you about some of the work we did around the house since last report. It does involve the Master Closet. Since our weather has been cold and wet here for the better part of two weeks, we have worked inside as much as possible. We put longleaf pine flooring down in the Master Closet. A company near San Marcos actually mills various cuts of lumber from old telephone poles, many of which were made of longleaf pine. You can see from the pictures that the flooring along with painting the window and door trim make a huge difference. OB went to the Container Store and bought Elfa shelving for most of the closets upstairs. When that gets installed, we will actually have permanent places to do minor things like hang clothes, store shoes, etc.

4. Did you notice the leaded glass panels in the pictures above? OB had the center designs from our time in Mexico and we took this opportunity to get Francisco to custom build rectangular leaded glass panels to fill in two of the transom windows that were missing their original frames. We think that these leaded glass panels will be a classy, unique touch to this old house.

5. My Uncle Joe was one of our visitors during the last two weeks. We really didn't make him work for his supper but he did pitch in and help paint the plate rack that OSHA Babe plans to hang in the kitchen.


NEXT STEPS:

1. Frank should start on the floors this coming week. We have 6 rooms left to do, including the Master Closet upstairs.

2. Hopefully, we'll get some warmer, drier weather and Charlie, the carpenter, will get back down here and we can trim out the corner where the downstairs AC unit is installed.

3. As always, there are doors to refinish and windows to scrape and paint.