THREE

 

Elspeth is 3 today.  She is special in many ways.  She played the piano for us and even knew the name of the tune!!!  Happy birthday Elsepth, we love you

The old and the new

Ignore the color and decide which is the new 2 X 4 and which is the old 2 X 4!  The old one was taken out of the upstairs bathroom that appears to have been done in1938. 
I finished something yesterday that made my day, made my week, made me month and maybe even made my year!  There are two small windows on the upper gables, one on the west and one on the east.  They were so old that they would hold paint for maybe a year or two.  Being about 22 feet up they were not my first option to paint when the paint and brushes came out so most of the time they looked awful and in turn made the side of the house look the same way.  Well yesterday the old came out, the new went in pretty easy and now the gables on each side of the house are GREAT.  I guess I am showing my age when a job like that can be so exciting.
Terry and I will shortly leave on our Friday date which will include a stop to drop off some important papers, a stop to browse tile and most importantly a stop in Avon MN where they advertise amazing broasted chicken.  We are excited.
My FP this morning was tremendous in taste and in satisfaction!

Progress

a few days ago

today

new window

you are looking through the new door at the red toolbox

Much framing was done yesterday.  Of course there is much to do yet as one sees.  The guys who are helping will be here today and then perhaps not until the second week in August. In the mean time there will be drywall that goes up and walls and ceiling to be done.  Today is July 28th, we will see what it looks like August 28th--hopefully much different.
As I write there is a wonderful breeze coming in and each time I open a window I am thankful for windows that work so well and are so easy to clean.  I know that Terry and I should be working in the bath area perhaps 24/6 but it will be break time tomorrow afternoon as we will go on a date.  I think I remember something like "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy".
Cousin Arlene called yesterday to say that another cousin, Jeanette, who lived in CA died.  She was married to Stephen who I am pretty sure is the son of Mom's brother Phillip.  Now I may have some names or spelling incorrect but....  I am guessing Jeanette was mid 80's.  There are very few first cousins left on Mom's side as she was the youngest by far in a large family. I think there are 4 first cousins still living on the Sampson side.
The help came and we just discussed for 45 minutes or so and for sure now the FP is history.

No, there is more work to do before the help comes.

It is a good thing

Audrey with Uncle Travis listening

Henry doing a good job as did all the kids

I think Liam is having a "hair----day" and I suspect he could care less!

In the spring of 1969 an old upright piano was hauled up the stairs at the School for the Deaf in Devils Lake.  For the last 47 years there has been a piano in the Lee household.  That ended last Sunday and it is fine. I got my last concert from Audrey, Liam and Henry and it was great.  Great Grandma Ruby would have been so so proud and happy to listen to her great grand children play, something she did not get to listen to a lot from her children.  As the concert finished the piano was lifted out the door and into the trail where is has found a new home in South Bend.  This piano actually did not get much use as it replaced the original huge one perhaps 15 or so years ago.  I know it will get a lot of use now.

 John, Mary, Henry, Liam, Audrey and Elspeth as they boarded the Lee train for the last leg of a 3 week vacation.  Their travels took them to SD for camping with family, to the west coast for a visit/work time with Aunt Nona, to Uncle Dave and Aunt Marlys where the boys were able to take apart all of Dave's puzzles and got ONE back together, to Grandma Saunders in Fargo and to friend Julie in norther MN.  As they arrive back in South Bend they have Trinity work for John, a new school, Trinity, for Henry and for Mary and everyone a transition into a new larger home. I am guessing that in a few short weeks Mary will have their new house in great order.  I am sure it will be exciting.
Seeing Aaron and Amy move into a new house a few years ago, seeing Cynthia and Mike move into a new house a short time ago and now John and Mary, it is a fun thing to see family enjoying life.  I am equally excited to see a new bathroom here.  It will be fun but of course to do a "FIRST" big home project in 39 years of ownership--I need not look back and ask why!
Terry and I are hoping to get MUCH work done on the bath today so I need to get started.  We also have a roof concern that will be looked at today.  I am not sure if I am a bit old, a bit lazy or just a little smarter but I will not go up on the roof to look!
FP has done a good job of the "get up and go" thing today! 

a hot MN summer day again

I have no complaints about the weather but is has been hot.  Thursday it was 97 and yesterday our outdoor temp in the shade was 100.  Today it is supposed to be 90 but the humidity is supposed to stay fairly high.  What can I say, welcome to MN in the summer.
I almost felt lost this morning as I am finished with my Lyme meds.  I took them for 21 days so it had become part of the morning.  I am hoping and praying that Lyme becomes a distant memory.  Am I 100%?  I am not sure as I sweat so so much and it seems am often fatigued but then the weather and the work may have something to do with that. I have become so soft that any kind of physical work seems like a lot!  I have to admit that this last week the temp in the wood shop has usually risen to 100 by mid afternoon so perhaps it is normal to get fatigued in that.
The bath has become an everyday focus.  I do not actually work at it everyday in terms of physical work but it is always on my mind and I am always thinking about it.  Thinking about the items we need to buy, the money it takes to get them and the time it takes to decide on what to do.  Yesterday Terry and I drove about 10 miles and looked at wood for the floor. We did make a decision as to what to buy but you guessed it, cost was more than we thought!  For sure we will survive and get it done but it is a bit more than I wanted to take on.
We are looking forward to seeing John/Mary tomorrow.  They will put the piano in their trailer and to South Bend it will go.  I decided that it needed to make music rather than sit here and just be a piece of furniture.  I am glad that the kids will have it.
I am trying to decide if I really wanted to blog or if I am putting off getting up to the bath and working on the walls.  I guess I will take the high road and say I wanted to blog but now it is time to work.  I thought maybe that FP would instill a bit of "get up and go" but no luck.

I lost my case

I lost, Terry says we can NOT pretend we have a fancy outhouse and leave things the way they are!  Walls have to go up, tub and shower must be installed, vanity with fancy granite has to be put in and a new floor and ceiling must be done.  BUT that all costs money--I still lose so the next few weeks we will see a total transformation.  As we view things here a wall will be installed and it goes on and on.
Of course I am excited.  We have the tub, a new window is on the way and this week a guy is coming to help with plumbing and electric so we move forward.  This morning we will meet with a cabinet maker to talk about the vanity.
The bath is not the only thing on the agenda.  I covered two window wells this weekend with 1/4" plexiglass.  The window wells are 72" X 22" so it is about impossible to find ones that fit.  I did find a place that would make them for $185 per well!  When all was done it cost us $90 per well and to top it off I had the satisfaction of making them.  Terry said she was impressed with my idea and skills.  I am hoping it kind of made up for me being pathetic when I drilled a hole in the garage roof!(that was years ago)  Of course her assessment was accurate but she did say she loved me more because of it.  I wanted to be GOOD, maybe even GREAT, this time as I didn't want to take any chances a second time.
It looks like we are in for a hot week.  It is perfect this morning but the humidity is supposed to go up and the temp should be well into the mid to high 90's by Thursday.  I am thinking that the lawn may be asking for some water early in the morning by Wednesday.  We have had such perfect rains this last week.  I would say that 4 of the last 6 or 7 nights we have had between .2 and .3 inches.  That kind of rain is so nice as it all soaks in.
How busy have we been since we arrived in St. Paul?  I have not even put the bikes together yet.  Well a lot of that is this darn Lyme thing.  I only have 3 days of the pills left and I would say that things continue to look up.  When I started the pills, 2 1/2 weeks ago, my energy level was a 1 on a scale of 1-10.  I would say that today it is maybe a 5 or 6.  I have to be careful here as I have grown to enjoy my naps and maybe it is almost time to take them away!  
FYI:  It is red birch, not red cedar, that we are using for the vanity.  Red birch is the core of the birch tree.
 I have half a cup of FP left and I think I will enjoy it as I sit and plan the day.

Progress

We drove to Duluth yesterday to view this piece of granite for the vanity top in the bathroom.  We took along a piece of red birch, which is what we are thinking of having the vanity made of.  Of course it is a LONG way from a finished product but every little bit helps so this is progress.  As time goes by I am thinking that Terry and I will do more of the work than we thought.  Each bit of work we do I see $$ staying in the bank account rather than leaving.  I guess I am a bit of an "oldie" but I find it amazing that to hire a bath redo in this house would cost WAY more than my first house!  I know, that was a long time ago but really!  I still am thinking I missed the boat as I should have investigated the possibility and cost of an outhouse in the back yard.  If we would have done that I would even have made sure we had nice store bought paper instead of catalogs.  But----too late now.
We have found a very good and reasonable business that will make the vanity.  Should I make it?  There are WAY too many things undone around here because I wanted to make or do them so the vanity is outsourced and it is a good thing.  I know the woodworker will do a fantastic job because he has 12" 100 year old barn wood for walls in his office and he has 2 deer heads and a full mounted deer in his office.  A guy like that has to be skilled at whatever he does.
No, I started the day with pancakes made with backyard raspberries and now I am about finished with my FP so it seems that I have been on the mountain top already.  Not sure I want to find out what the rest of the day brings but what the heck, bring it on!

A day away from the bath

Terry and I took the day away from the redo bath project and had a date.  We did the loop.  We drove south on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi and stopped in Pepin at Harbor View Cafe for lunch.  After a short walk we drove a few miles south and crossed the river at Nelson.  Then we drove along the river going back to St. Paul.  We had to stop and see the ball park in Miesville.  It is a town of less than 200 but they have a jewel of a ball park and as you can see they field some good teams as well.
I did not work yesterday and I got by without a nap.  Well I did mow the lawn when we got back and the temp was 92 so I can say I worked a bit.  So no nap and to bed at 10, I would say I am beating Lyme!
We will look at vanities and vanity tops today and then stop and say happy birthday to Terry's son Mark.  I ordered the tub yesterday and I received an e-mail saying I need to call as the credit card address is Naples and it is being delivered to St. Paul so they are wondering.
I am out of words and why?  I have yet to put the water on for FP so I have not been stimulated!

Where is July going?

Looking from the hall--this may be the modern "outhouse"!

Looking from the bedroom

As one can see there is a little work left to be done.  Again, I am tempted to just put a "FOR SALE" sign on the front door and go play tennis! However I did think about swinging on all those wires hanging down from the ceiling but then there is no water to land in.

As I sit at the computer there are droplets coming off the front roof after a rain of .4"  The garden, we have a tiny garden, and the lawn will love God's natural rain.  I think it is supposed to get up in the high 80s today so the AC may go on early.
I am now half finished with my treatment for Lyme's.  I have not graduated away from a short PM nap but I have stayed up until past 10 PM the last three nights so that is good.  Every little improvement helps.
We have run into several snags in our bath redo.  One would think that in dealing with a house that is 110 years old things would be perfect!  We have given up on some of the things we want for two reasons.  One reason is the space we are working with, it is smaller than we thought and the second reason is space in our bank account, it is smaller than we thought!  It will still be nice when we are finished and everyone we have talked to says it will be a huge improvement as well.  Time line, we are not sure as we really want to finish this summer but as things change and time moves on that is looking doubtful.
Terry and I are going on a date tomorrow.  Can we afford the time?  Well if you are 69, retired (I am also tired) and working on projects that can not wait I guess your world is turned upside down.  We received an e-mail yesterday about a friend who we play tennis with.  He is about 73 or so and in good health.  He recently had a severe stroke.  We do not know what the expected recovery is.  The story is one should never be too busy to take time with loved ones.  So a date it is for tomorrow.  The bath redo will have to be on hold for at least a day, really who cares!
No, I think I will watch a bit of the tennis final on TV as I down the last of my FP. 

What now?

Well, we have had two people in to look at our bathroom project.  The work and the cost has gone UP.  Also the scope and the plans have changed.  What to do now--we are, for the moment, at a stand still.  We have a toilet sitting in the middle of an open space but that probably is not the answer!  The last time I looked at the checking account that was not the answer either.  Once again it is tempting to lock the place up and put a "FOR SALE" sign on the front door.  NOT REALLY.  Terry and I just have to pray and figure out what, when and how to do things so that we pay what we can afford and get an end product that we can be happy with.  Now that was easy to write but not so easy to come up with.
I had breakfast yesterday with a friend from long ago.  It was a great time of catching up.  It seems like the older a person gets the more "catching up" there is to do with friends.
We received a very welcome 1.7" of rain over the last couple of days.  The lawns were beginning to look a bit desperate.
We have now picked about 10 quarts of raspberries.  We have given a lot away but the ice cream in the freezer tells the story of many being eaten at home as well.  I even see where the squirrels like them which is somewhat of a problem.
Am I feeling any better?  Up to yesterday I had gotten into a negative pattern as I saw it.  I would work for most of the morning, take a shower and then a nap in the afternoon and go to bed by 9 or so.  Well the problem with that is going to bed at 9 meant I was awake by 4:30 or 5:00 AM.  Not what I want.  Yesterday I worked in the AM and into the PM.  Took short nap and stayed up until 10:00.  Well you could guess, I was awake at 4:30 again BUT was able to go back to sleep, I actually got several merit badges during my sleep, and finally got up at 6:10.  Now that is better.  I am thinking that this darn Lyme Disease will be a thing of the past shortly.
They are shooting a short movie on our street today.  I think it is for some fund raiser event.  Maybe I can be in the movies!  
I have one more cup of FP and that will last me through my prayer time. 

Oh my, how things have changed

I read the sports section of the paper today, as I often do, as I ate breakfast.  Here are some things that are to me pretty mind numbing.

• This is about pro basketball.  In 1947 the Lakers were purchased for $15,000.  In 1957 they were sold for $150,000.  In 1965 they were sold for $5,000,000.  In 1979 they were sold for $67,500,000.  Today they are worth $2,700,000,000.  I think that may beat inflation!
• George Mikan was considered the best of the NBA players in the first half of the century.  He signed a HUGE contract in 1947 for $12,500.  Today Al Horford is considered perhaps among the top 20 players in the NBA.  For sure closer to #20 than #1.  He signed a 4 year contract for $113,000,000 or $28,250,000. per year.  In Minnesota, if you paid the average salary, you could hire 471 teachers for that salary!  I guess that means one pro basketball player is worth 471 teachers.

I have now taken 14% of my pills for Lyme.  I guess that means that I should have at least 14% more energy.  I think tomorrow I need to try and get by without a nap or stay up later.  I continue to make progress on the bath each day but it really is not fast enough.  I actually considered the thought of stopping and just having a contractor do it but decided it may be a better idea to make a trip to Menard's and get some new sawsall blades so the cutting goes better.  As I tear down walls I am looking for hidden treasures like coins or silver certificate bills but no luck!!!
No more FP and no more thoughts.

We have answers--we think!

I received a note from my Dr. yesterday saying the second set of blood tests confirmed that I need to be treated for Lyme Disease.  I picked up the meds yesterday and will be on them for 21 days.  I feel this will take care of the lack of energy.  If it doesn't I may need to seek out the fountain of youth some place.  Who was the guy who looked for that?  I am wondering if his diary is on line?  I needed to be sure I didn't wonder if his dairy was on line! I am finding that the little things in life, like mowing the lawn, are now a BIG deal as I sit and sip ice water after just a 45 minute lawn mowing.
That darn bathroom redo is coming along, a bit slow I think, but I am getting some done each day.  I may take the sawsall today and get wicked!  It has become a two part process as taking things down is one part and getting them out of the house is another.  Actually there is a third part, the dirt and dust are not a good thing.  I am not so sure that demolition for a 69 year old is as good as a 90 minute tennis match.
I ground the last beans in the Kona Coffee bag so now it will be Starbucks for a while.  I still have a bag of Kona but will save that for when the redo is finished.  I can picture myself sitting on the new throne, eyeing the new shower, vanity and tub while savoring a sip of Kona.  Well maybe it isn't so good to picture an old man like that!!!  Dreams are good but perhaps I have more important things to do for now.
No, it is time to see what the energy level is today.  There is a trip to the store, a lawn moving and bathroom work to be done before Terry and I sit down at 7:00 tonight to watch Almanac on channel 2 with pizza in hand.
By the way, happy July 1st.  I didn't need to say that but I had a sip of FP left before I signed off so needed so write something.