Showing Sarah the Ropes

No Pete, this is not exactly what we had in mind when we asked you to show Miss Sarah how things work around here...

These guys have started buddying around together - chasing deer, knocking on the neighbors doors for treats, digging for moles, and securing the sofa...nothing productive but at least they are becoming friends.

"Keep the Wealth" with those who EARNED it.

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The opportunities for success in the country are unlimited. That opportunity is why this country has succeeded --that opportunity is one of the things that makes this country so great. The opportunity to come here with nothing and make millions inspires many to start businesses and develop new technologies. It is all up to you--your imagination, dedication, drive, etc. Now some guy comes in and says "Spread the Wealth" and so many people just don't understand what that means. There are some very savvy business minds that make what I consider to be obscene amounts of money (think Bill Gates)...BUT they EARNED that money and I do NOT HAVE A RIGHT to what they earned - nor does anyone else. By increasing taxes on someone that made sacrifices and worked hard to EARN their money and then turning around and giving a tax break (in the form of a welfare check) to those that don't even pay taxes, the American opportunity is essentially being wiped out. What would inspire these savvy business minds to work hard and sacrifice when their earnings are being given to those that don't. IF YOU DIDN'T EARN IT, YOU ARE NOT ENTITLED TO IT!!! Get over it.

Sarah Proofing

Miss Sarah has way too much energy. She takes off running through the kitchen towards the dog door, changes her mind and applies "brakes" trying to stop ...leaving nail gouges in the new kitchen floor. She like to run around and around the kitchen slipping and sliding and skidding ...leaving nail gouges in the new kitchen floor. The new kitchen floor already looks like it has had years of abuse. So, I broke down and Sarah-proofed the floor. It is a mismash of area rugs, throw rugs and runners that don't even come close to matching and it is going to be a pain to clean --but the floor is protected. Maybe, just maybe she will calm down and I can go back to a nice runner that matches the kitchen. Maybe.

I Don't Understand Why You Keep Putting Me Outside

Meet Miss Sarah (as in Sarah Palin and the whole lipstick on a pit bull thing). She is the newest member of our household...maybe. I found her and her buddy at a service station on a busy road dragging chains behind them. What can I say - I'm a sucker so I loaded up both of them and brought them home. One night was all it took for me to realize there was just no way I could keep both...even for one more night. So we decided to try and make Miss Sarah a part of the family. She is probably about 6-8 months old and full of energy. She gets in trouble for: chasing Cessie, barking in the house, jumping up on us (and everyone she sees), leaping from chair to sofa and back again without her feet ever touching the floor, putting her paws on the counter to see what is up there, sniffing at the garbage can and eating out of Pete or Cessie's food bowl. Her worst trait is food aggression. Food aggression is not tolerated in this household. We are working on it but until I think it is "conquered", she will not be allowed to be alone with Cessie. I'm not that worried about her being alone with Pete - he will very calmly put her in her place. Not sure how he does it but he is like that with all the neighborhood dogs - they just know he's the boss although I've never seen him be ugly with them. But this isn't about Pete, it is about Miss Sarah. Wish the best for her - if she doesn't shape up, she's shipping out. I hope she shapes up - she is the sweetest, most cuddly lapdog you have ever seen. She just loves to cuddle.

Sweet Marguerite, It's Alive!

I planted a few of the Sweet Potato Vines this Spring. Apparently, they really like this spot as they have taken over this bed and have spilled out onto the lawn. Each time we mow they get hacked off but by the next mowing they have grown even further. There are several shrubs and perennials underneath this mess and I have to the cut the vine back around them as well. I probably should just go ahead and do a severe trim but I'm kinda curiuos to see how far they'll go before season ends...we still have a couple of months to go.

Best Laundromat Ever!

As soon as the floor was finished, I went to work on the paint and trim in this area so we could move the washer and dryer in permanently - they don't work so well in the middle of the living room. During the kitchen remodel, the laundry area was moved so we went without a washer and dryer. Once the plumbing rough-in was finished, we attempted to use the washer but that was a disaster - the drain was capped off somewhere under the house and water splashed all over the floor during the spin cycle. A few times we put the drain hose into a 33 gal trash can but that was lots of trouble, too. It would fill the can about 2/3 of the way during one wash and that thing is pretty heavy to haul outside and dump. And we have a low water washer - I can't imagine how much water those top-loading numbers use. We survived by wearing clothes multiple times and resorting to clothes we haven't worn in years (not sure why we still had some of them). Heck, once we even broke down and bought Michael new socks - don't laugh, it beats going to the laundromat. Have you been to one of those places lately?

First Supper

It finally happened! I was able to use my stove for the first time. The gas company came out to run the gas line over a month ago but didn't have the part to convert the stove to LP gas. They would have to order the part and come back. A month later it was still on backorder. I didn't push the issue then because we couldn't get into the kitchen anyway due to the floor situation. But when I realized the floor drama was coming to an end, I decided to go online and order it myself. Three days later (and $50 cheaper) it was on my doorstep so I called the guys back to hook up the stove. Calzone isn't quite what I expected to be cooking for the inaugural meal but it was quick and didn't require a lot of dishes. When we moved here, all of the kitchen items were taken straight to the attic since we were renovating the kitchen --with the exception of one skillet, one pot, a good cutting knife, and a couple of place settings. We'll probably unload the attic this weekend but until then dinner is gonna be quick, simple and on disposable foil platters like this one.

Band Profile

Finally got all of the doors and windows trimmed out so things are starting to look finished now. The rest of the house has 1x4's with backband so this is what I'm doing in the kitchen. Of course, I ran into a problem. I can't find the backband. The stuff I found at the big box hardware stores, and the local hardware store, fits around standard door casing that is only 11/32 - not 3/4" leaving a gap between the back of the backband and the wall. Too large of a gap to caulk. Found a millwork place in Raleigh that carried it. They didn't have any in stock but they did have something so similar, "You wouldn't notice the difference". I drive an hour to Raleigh and it's different. Not so much that you would notice it, but different enough that it won't fit without cutting it. The sales guy tells me it's made for 7/8 so you MIGHT have to run it through a table saw and cut it down. Now why didn't he tell me that before I drove an hour (two roundtrip) - how did he know I had a table saw...what if I didn't...jerk. Anyway, it is much nicer than the other stuff and I did drive all that way...guess I'll get it. Here's the profile of the backband -pretty substantial.
I ran it through the table saw and it fits great. Now it's time to prime and paint. Still have to do a little more work on the banding that goes around the dining nook windows not to overhang the window stools - probably have to run those pieces through the shaper. After all this work, maybe I should have just made my own.

Spot Free Shine!

The floor is finally finished (this was a two-month project). We ended up having to call a different flooring contractor to finish the floor. The first one refinished it several times but each time the spots reappeared. He was as frustrated as we were and agreed that we should call someone else because it just wasn't working out for him. Nice guy - I felt bad for him. So, the new guy finished the floor while we were in Florida. Apparently, there was a communication problem and the stain color turned out much lighter than I would have liked. But there is nothing I can do about it (the floor has now been sanded 5 times which is pretty much the life of hardwood flooring) so I'll just have to live with it. It's still nice - just not the dark color I planned on. It's growing on me. But hey - NO SPOTS! Yeahhhh!!! And I can finally get into the kitchen!

Cousin' Bubba

Here is Pete and his "cousin" Bubba (Michael's Dad's dog). These two could almost be twins and they have the best time hanging out together. Pete loves going to visit Papa Richard and lives for going for walks with him and Bubba. We all had a great time in Florida but it's always nice to be home...although Pete is still looking for the chocolate chip cookies Papa Richard hands out.

Back Seat Driving

We went to Florida to visit family this past week. It's a long drive and this is how the pups pass the time. We stop every two hours or so to let these guys run around outside and sniff stuff. Occasionally, Cessie gets restless (you'd never know she is twelve) and has to come up front and hang out:

Overall they're good travelers --Pete didn't get sick and neither one of them asked, "Are we there, yet?"

Hail Storm

We had an incredible hail storm in May. The hail was so large and was coming down so hard ...and sideways... that we were worried it was going to crash through the windows of the house. When it was over, the hail completely covered the ground and there was still hail on the ground the next morning. We spent days cleaning up the debris (limbs and leaves knocked out of the trees) from the yard that was so thick you couldn't see the driveway. It caused severe damage to all of our vehicles, the roof -including the garage and kitchen addition that had just been built- the metal fascia and trim on the left side of house and garage and mangled the gutters installed one week prior.

We found a great roofing contractor: D.R. Thomas Construction. A day after signing the contract, he had someone out here replacing the metal work and the shingles were delivered a day after that. This guy inspects the work at least once per day. He even requires the guys to hang around at the end of the day so he can come back and inspect the clean up job before they leave for the day. The top photo shows how they left at the end of the day - all the shingles were toted up to the ridge to begin the next day. The 78 year old contractor's motto is "I'm gonna burn out, not rust out." . The general contractor that built the garage and kitchen addition could learn a LOT from this guy. They finished up the roof while we were in Florida and cleaned up the mess even though we weren't here to point at what they missed --unlike the other contractor.

Team 6 Training Schedule

18 August 08
Monday
WOD
For time and complete WOD in the following manner: Alternate movements and complete no more than 10 reps with either movement.
100 Thrusters (95 lbs men and 65 lbs women)
100 Pull-ups

19 August 08
Tuesday
WOD
Find your max for the
Clean and Jerk
Finish with 100 rockers

20 August 08
Wednesday
WOD
Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
10 Side Hop Burpees (Draw two lines16 inches apart, start on the outside of the left line and complete a burpee with a jump to the other side of the right line.)
15 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (75 lbs men and 55 lbs women)

21 August 08
Thursday
WOD
Row 1000 meters for time
Rest (should equal the time it took to complete 1000 meters)
Run 1 mile for time
Finish with 25 knee to elbows and 25 glute ham sit-ups

22 August 08
Friday
WOD
For time
21 Deadlifts (Bodyweight)
50 push-ups
21 Deadlifts
50 pull-ups
21 Deadlifts
50 Wall-balls

Lord of the Rings

East Coast CrossFit

Team 6 Training Schedule

11 August 08
Monday
WOD
3 rounds for time
400 meter run
25 Wall-ball shots
15 Pull-ups

12 August 08
Tuesday
WOD
CrossFit Total
Find your max for the following:
Overhead shoulder press
Back Squat
Deadlift

13 August 08
Wednesday
WOD
Complete the following for time:
Row 1000 meters
50 Thrusters (45lbs Men and 35lbs Women)
30 Pull-ups
Run 800 meters

14 August 08
Thursday
Skill development
Practice rope climbing with no more than 15 trips
100 double-unders for time

15 August 08
Friday
WOD "Fight Gone Bad"
3 rounds of the following 5 movements for one minute
Row for calories
Sumo deadlift high pulls
Push-Press
Box Jumps
Wall-Balls

A Turning Point...

This is evidence of something truly amazing. No, it's not that Cessie is eating a Milkbone that is amazing --it is the fact that I didn't give it to her. My neighbor did. Anyone that knows Cessie realizes how remarkable this is. Cessie will not go near strangers at all --even if they offer food and especially if we are not around. It takes multiple visits from friends and family (and lots of patience) before she will trust them. Again, we have been blessed with great neighbors that treat our dogs like theirs and Cessie feels comfortable enough to head over there when the treats are being handed out so she doesn't miss out. They have four dogs; a chow mix and a beagle mix that Pete hangs out with and two Pomeranians that Cessie hangs out with (Gizmo is her boyfriend -she thinks we don't notice).

CrossFit Trainer of the Week

Team 6 Training Schedule
Week 04 – 08 August 08

04 August 08
Monday
WOD
“Sock Hop”
4 Rounds for time:
1 Round equals the following
100 meter “Sock Hop” Shuttle followed by
5 rounds of the following
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

05 August 08
Tuesday
Find your 15 rep max for the thruster (front squat/push press combo)
Core circuit
5 rounds
10 knee to elbow
10 V ups

06 August 08
Wednesday
3 Rounds for time
400 meter run
15 cleans (Men 95 lbs/Women 65 lbs)
25 Jumping Ring Dips

07 August 08
Thursday
10K Row or 10K run

08 August 08
Friday
Programming will be in the hands of amateurs - everyone who shows up will get to choose a movement and a WOD will be developed from those movements.

Droor Flama

The floor finishers came back today and sanded the floor back down to the bare wood again and started over - this is the 3rd round. They are using a different brand stain and a sealer so all we can do is cross our fingers. The new stain isn't as dark as the first stain which is disappointing especially considering that I wasn't sure the first color was dark enough. And it has a lot of red in it that I really don't like. But if it isn't spotted, I can live with it...I guess. This is a pic of the sanding in progress - you can see the prior color along the edges.

One Person's Trash...

This is a great chair...no, really! My friend, Sylvia, found it on the side of the road waiting for the trash man and knew it would be perfect in my new kitchen. It is a counter-height stool so it is the correct height for my island. I took it apart, lightly sanded, stained the exposed wood and coated with polyurethane. I also recovered the cushion - obviously. I have a few more coats of poly to go before I can put back together and repost a pic. Now I just have to find a "matching" chair. Sylvia, hit the dumpsters!

Polka Dotted Floor?

Well, here is what the kitchen floor looks like. See the spots? They appeared in the last coat of polyurethane. The flooring finishers came back and added another coat of poly in an attempt to cover the spots but it didn't work. So they came back and added another coat. The top coat was satin so after 3 coats of satin, the floor just looked dull and the spots were still visible (though not as bad as before the additional two coats). Next the finishers came back and sanded the floor back down to bare wood and started over. The stain worked out fine but the first coat of poly....we're seeing spots again. The last couple of weeks have been very frustrating - we've waited so long to have a functioning kitchen and now we can't go in there while the floor is being finished (and refinished). And to make matters worse, I have to leave the house during the day after they apply the finish to try to keep the dust down and because the fumes are overwhelming. Let's count the number of times I've had to leave the house: 1)first coat of stain 2)2nd coat of poly 3)third coat of poly 4)4th coat of poly 5)fifth coat of poly. Resand and start over 6) first coat of stain 7)1st coat of poly 8) 2nd coat of poly. The eighth time was today. The flooring contractor came out of the kitchen shaking his head--that can't be good. More spots and he doesn't have a clue why. The only thing he knows for sure is that he will have to sand down to bare wood...AGAIN...and start over...AGAIN. Great.

Team 6 Training Schedule

Boxcar Sally sittin’ on the porch waiting for Team 6

Team 6 Training Schedule

28 July 2008
Monday
3 Rounds for time
400 meter run
Pull-ups
Squat Thrust (Burpee without the push-up or jump and clap)
Pull-ups and Squat Thrust will descend in reps per round i.e. 21, 15, 9

29 July 2008
Tuesday
Skill Training
Kipping Pull-ups
If you can’t do 40 Kipping Pull-ups then you need to work on them. It’s a skill that requires strength, speed, coordination, flexibility, and just about everything else that describes athletes. On this day you will learn the kipping pattern and all kinds of tricks and tips to become a kipping fool.
Skills training will be followed by some core training.
Rockers, med-ball throws and some other funky stuff.

30 July 208
Wednesday
Warm-up will be Deadlift to your max.
WOD
For 20 minutes perform as many rounds as possible with the following couplet:
Deadlift X 7 reps (weight will be 70 pounds minus your max)
Row 250 meters

31 July 2008
Thursday
Skill and Strength day
Front Squat 5 sets of 5 reps with as much weight as possible.
Run 5K (For those of you closer to your dirt nap than your birth, it may be helpful on your knees and ankles to stop and walk for a minute every 5 to 10 minutes. I have been doing this for years and it has seriously reduced joint pain. Also, once the run is complete do 25 air squats to maintain your squat flexibility. The first few will be painful, but by rep 10 you should be gaining back the mobility you lost from your hamstrings tightening up from the run.)

01 August 2008
WODProgramming will be in the hands of amateurs - everyone who shows up will get to choose a movement and a WOD will be developed from those movements.

Stripping

I walked upstairs tonight --can't remember why -- and next thing you know, I'm removing the wallpaper in the bathroom. Didn't plan it - just couldn't take it anymore. The best way I've found to remove wallpaper (I've tried all the gadgets and solutions) is to rip off the top layer to expose the bottom "paper" layer. Once that is exposed, wet the wall down with plain ol' water, wait a few minutes so the water can soak thru and loosen the glue, and then it will just come right off. The old wallpaper was so bad that Michael commented on how much better the wall looked even with the paper backing still hanging on the wall. Who picks out this stuff?

Burn Baby Burn

I think it's projects like that makes Michael spends so much time away from home. The hedges between our house and the neighbor's were infested with aphids. I sprayed them with the mean stuff but there were just so many of them that it really didn't make much difference. The aphids had migrated to my new shrubs and it was a losing battle to keep them out of the new ones when we had an aphid farm 20 feet away. Then my neighbor informed me that the prior resident was constantly spraying the hedge trying to get rid of the aphids but never could get them under control. That settles it. The hedge must come down. There were fifteen separate bushes at approximately 10 foot tall. We cut them down and burned all of them. Michael sure knows how to get a fire burning hot enough to burn green wood down to ashes in a short time. Now, what are you gonna do about the stumps?

Is it Dark Enough?

I attempted to sand the pine flooring but it just didn't work out. We rented one of those orbital sanders from Home Depot and ran into several issues: 1) It was hard to control - easy for Michael but hard for me 2)It was slow going 3)I wasn't happy with the results because it left small "curly-cue" marks in the wood from the sander. I could get the marks out with my hand sander but that is a lot of work. 4) The final issue was that my pine flooring clogged up the sandpaper so frequently that I had to go back to HD after only sanding less than 1/4 of the floor to get more paper --when I rented the sander, they sent me home with "more than enough" to finish the job. Of course when I got there they were out of paper so I just went back home, loaded up the sander and returned it with the job unfinished. After thinking about it, I decided by the time I pay for all the sandpaper it is going to take and the amount of time involved and the fact I really wasn't happy with the result, I would be better off to just pay someone to sand it. Michael agreed but took it one step further and suggested we just get someone to finish it, too. The one thing that was an 'afterthought' in the kitchen turned out to be the biggest undertaking.



So the finishers showed up today, sanded the floor and stained it. It is not as dark I we had hoped but I'm not sure we can get it any darker. The finishers said they will add a second coat of stain tomorrow but after looking at it, I'm just not sure it will work. A lot of the red still shows but it definitely looks better than the old flooring. I heard a lot of comments from them about their sandpaper getting clogged rather often.
Here is a comparison to the old flooring (tip: the old flooring is the one running vertical that has the large gaps between each plank):
And the darker stain really brings out the grain patterns and sets off the white cabinets.

Who Do You Support?

Ever wondered what happens to those campaign signs you see around? Yeah, me neither. But now I know. The very nice old man that lives here is obviously a dedicated supporter of Bob Etheridge. He has one of these large wooden signs displayed in the bed of his pickup and drives around doing errands and such with it there. It appears he is also the keeper of the huge wooden signs as they periodically appear in his yard for several days at a time and then disappear again. Who knows where they go. At one time, I knew this guys name but now I and the neighbors usually just refer to him as "Bob".

Time to Move the Burn Pile

I'm pretty excited about the sink area. The plumbers made it back today and installed the sink in the "now big enough" cutout in the countertop. One thing I insisted upon from the beginning of the project was that the windows be low enough so the countertop could flow into the window allowing for more countertop space behind the sink and, I think, a more streamlined look. I argued about this when the windows were ordered and again when the framers put in the windows --they all thought I was nuts. Well, I'm glad I stuck to my guns because I love the look. The cabinet that holds the sink is extended forward 2 inches from the adjacent cabinets allowing for a large work area. Yes I know, I still have to install the trim around the window...all in good time. And we probably need to move the burn pile so it's not the focal point of the view from the kitchen window.

Now We're Cooking...Almost!

The cooktop is almost functional. The electrician wired the downdraft fan and the HVAC guys added the vent for the downdraft. Now I just need someone to run the gas line (he's supposed to be here Friday!).
The double ovens work great! Purchased the Jenn-Air ovens for a steal at the Habitat ReStore (that is also where I purchased new limestone tile for my 1/2 bath @ .75 sq ft - you gotta check out your local store). Now I just need to get the doors on the cabinets...maybe a little paint on the walls...

Another Use for Michael's Weights

Today I routed the edges of the countertop, sanded both the top and the edges, and applied the sealer/finish. The edges had to be sanded by hand and it ruined my hands. This stuff is extremely hard (yes, I know I mentioned it before but thought it should be reiterated) and is not like working with wood. Sanding a wood edge would be a breeze - this was not. It took HOURS to sand the edges but the end result is really nice - they are as smooth as glass. I still have to build up the edges (to make the 3/4" thickness appear to be 1-1/2 inch) but will have to wait until my hands recover. The instructions said to attach the countertop to the cabinet using mechanical fasteners, such as wood screws, and silicone. Well, the wood screws didn't work out so well. I only tried one. This stuff is so hard that drilling the pilot hole was almost impossible and when I tried to insert a screw, the head twisted right off. We decided to use silicone only and use these weights and a few clamps to hold it down until the silicone dried. I'd like to see someone get screws in this stuff.

Oops! The Sink Won't Fit

The plumbers came out today to install the sink, dishwasher and washer drain. All was well until they attempted to drop in the sink - the cutout wasn't quite large enough. I tried using a belt sander - not so sure that was a good idea...dusty, dusty, dusty- to knock a little off but it didn't work. After the second attempt didn't work, the plumbers decided to come back another day to give me time to make sure the hole was large enough before they had to hoist the sink again - did I mention the sink is cast iron and heavy, heavy, heavy? This time I'm sure it fits. But just to avoid any problems, I also beveled the edge to make sure the brackets wouldn't get in the way. Now it fits perfectly. No, the bottom of the cabinet is not black. That is countertop dust - what a mess.

Coal Miner's Daughter

This countertop material, Paperstone http://www.paperstoneproducts.com/- made from recycled paper and resin, is extremely difficult to cut. It was delivered to my house via 18-wheeler in one solid sheet measuring 12'x5'. The instructions said it can be cut using woodworking tools so I thought I would give it a try. I think I should clarify a few things for anyone that attempts to cut this stuff - it is NOT like cutting wood. You will need powerful woodworking tools to cut it. Don't expect to pick up a Ryobi anything from HD and have it last long enough to finish the job. My tools were definitely being pushed to perform and my blades dulled quickly. The actual cutting was an extremely slow process taking the entire day with lots of rest breaks for my hands. Secondly, this stuff makes a huge mess. A week later, I am still dusting the fine black powder from the kitchen and I have yet to muster up the motivation to tackle the mess in the shop. And by the time I was finished, I was covered with this stuff - Michael now refers to me as the Coal Miner's Daughter and Sandra said she liked my mustache!

Where are the Real Studs?

The actual cabinets were installed today. And it took ALL day. Yes, we are rookies. First we attached the face frames to the cabinets (they weren't previously attached because the face frames have bracket feet and I didn't want to risk the feet getting knocked off), then set the cabinets on the pedestals and attached the cabinets to the wall studs and the pedestals with screws. Simple, right? Again, it took ALL day. Just finding the studs was a problem. This stud finder that usually works great, apparently can't find the studs through the back of the cabinet that is also wood so it became useless most of the time. We also tried measuring in 16 inch increments from one confirmed stud (assuming they were 16 inches apart) but that didn't work either. In the end, we used the "tried and true" method of me knocking along the wall until I "heard" the stud. Worked like a champ! Michael did find that this little contraption has another use - as a real life stud finder. It alerts when pointed at him. Yes Babe, you're a stud!

A Level That's Not Level?

Today was the day to install the pedestals that all of the base cabinets will be set upon. I decided to use separate pedestals rather than ones integrated into the cabinet to make the process of leveling easier. That was a wise decision. The area of the floor where the cooktop cabinet is located had a slope of about 1 inch over a five foot span --with a small "hump" in the middle. And just to make it even more entertaining, the new wall bowed out at about the same rate. It took a lot of shims and a lot of cursing (required) to get things level. Somewhere along the way, we figured out that the 2-foot level we were using showed a different reading depending on which side of the level was sitting against the surface we were trying to level. That helped clear up a lot of confusion for us as to why it was level one minute and then not level when we did, yet another, "final" check. By the way, it was a Stanley 2-footer...beware of the cheap levels.

Mole Hunter

Believe it or not, he actually catches the moles. We had an awful problem with moles in Washington until Pete showed up. There was one instance where a mole was destroying my planting beds and since Pete knows to stay out of those, the mole escaped his hunting prowess. I had to call in a professional trapper. The guy came out and set up numerous traps. A week later, the mole made the mistake of venturing outside the beds and into the yard. Big mistake - Pete got him (and I praised him repeatedly). The trapper came back and retrieved his empty traps. The moles aren't as bad here and I expect Pete will take care of this one soon. Just hope he doesn't start hunting in the neighbors' yards. They may not see it as I do - the little bit of digging in the grass Pete does is minor (and restricted to one area) compared to the amount of damage a mole will do over time to the entire lawn. Go Pete!

Hey -- That's My Spot!

Pete decided to take an afternoon nap…in bed. Usually he sleeps in the neighbor’s front yard or in their garage. But where Pa goes, Pete goes. Yes, Michael decided to take an afternoon nap --and Pete joined him leaving no room for me. I don’t have time for napping anyway.

Things You'll Only See Down South

That would be a field of tobacco. I pass several of these during the many trips to Lowe’s (or Home Depot). While I really like living in a rural area, it can be rather inconvenient at times. I was actually just taking a picture of Cessie hanging out of the window (she always does this) because I think she’s cute. I’m sure Michael is looking at this picture wondering how I took it since it is obviously taken while moving and from the passenger side of my vehicle…I’m not telling.

Baby Mama

I saw this "introduction" several years ago (2004) and couldn't believe my ears! This is the way wives introduce their senator husbands?!?! Classy, huh? Every time this particular senator's name was mentioned, all I could think of was "my baby's daddy"...and mentioned it to anyone within earshot. Fast-forward several years and lo and behold this guy is running for president. I was confident the introduction would be played over and over and over. It wasn't. In fact, I never heard it mentioned ANYWHERE. I was beginning to believe I imagined it so I searched the internet. Apparently there were others like me wondering why this was never mentioned and wondering why we could not find a clip (evidence) of Michelle Obama's introduction anywhere. Someone found a CNN transcript but that was it. Finally, we have an audio clip: http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/home/daily/site_061308/content/01125113.guest.html Let's just imagine the last four First Ladies introducing their husband as "my baby's daddy": Laura Bush? Hillary Clinton? Barbara Bush? Nancy Reagan? Seriously.

Next thing you know the Oval Office will have a velvet Elvis above the recliner (complete with cup holders) and a pink flamingo on front lawn.

Who Needs a Chainsaw When You Have One of These?

Yes, that is an axe. Michael is home and tackled the fallen willow tree today...I watched.

100 Down - 800 To Go...

These will be the plugs to cover the countersunk (is that a word?) screws in the kitchen flooring. There are approximately 900 screws to cover! Since the color and grain pattern of the wood is so varied, I decided not to attempt matching the plugs to each board. Instead, I used the last wide plank remaining and cut all of the plugs from that one board so they will all be the same color (and the floor will have some semblance of order). Thanks to Fred for the use of his drill press!

Monotony.

Since the wide plank flooring

isn't end-matched (doesn't have tongue and groove on ends), the "butt" ends must be attached to the floor with fasteners. The original kitchen floor was face nailed with hand cut nails but we will not be using that method this time. The reasons: they tend to pop up - it hurts when you step on them, the mop catches on them and we don't like the rustic look. Instead we will be using screws. This is a time-consuming process: mark where the screws should be; drill countersink hole; drive in screw...for all 900 or so. And I still have to plug the holes but that is for another day. After a while, I decided I needed a stool - preferably one on wheels. I found a platform with casters but the wheels made indentions in the flooring. So, here is my solution. A cushion on the bottom to protect the floor, followed by a couple of power tool cases, followed by another cushion for my tush. I know - it's ridiculous but it works and gives my knees a break! And the mop bucket? Well, that is to wheel my tools around.

Makeshift Paint Booth

Cabinet boxes are now painted! Used a Fuji Mini-Mite HVLP sprayer. It worked great! I wasn't sure where I would spray the cabinets until a woodworker friend suggested to just spray them outside. In the past, I had problems with dust getting into my finish (hand-brushed indoors) so I was extremely concerned with the amount of dust outside. I had no problem at all with dust. The only issues were the occasional thundershower sending me scrambling to get the cabinets back inside (of course, it always happened when Michael was not home - thank goodness for the hand truck) and the occasional no-seeums getting stuck in the clear topcoat finish. Still, I think it was a better finish than what I would have ended up with had I sprayed indoors. I'm pleased.

Uh Oh...

Well, all the flooring is down now. How does it look? I think Michael said it best when he told me I messed up - as he looked at the floor. What? Apparently the rest of the flooring in the house now looks like crap and will have to be torn out and laid back down like I did in the kitchen. He did ask that I wait until he leaves for Kentucky...

The Essence of Carolina Summers

This is one of the things I truly missed when living in Washington ... the Crepe Myrtles. Right now the white ones are blooming and they are beautiful (I need to get a better photo). The pink ones should be blooming soon - can't wait.