Progressing

I have been holding off for THEE finished project for pictures but I do believe it is going to be happening in tiny little bits from now on. So... here is the current status. Have you noticed the missing TV? I know!, I cannot believe it either.

At Emily and Joe's Wedding...

Dr Cates and her daughter Izzy.

Counter tops- DONE!

 Russ and Butch got the job done yesterday.

Butch has some plumbing hook ups to get done under the sink before we are fully operational but that most likely will happen today. Then the moving in process will begin.

June 1st, 2013-Brooker/Davis Wedding

Yesterday we attended the wedding of Joe and Emily (Brooker) Davis in Omaha Ne. 

The only snafu in the day was the weather as it was supposed to be, and was even forecast to be, a perfect Spring day but Mother Nature decided to test all concerned a bit by adding rain, cold and wind. Everyone,especially Keri and Leo, rose to the occasion and made the very best of it. It was a wonderful day...a perfect day... as you can see on the faces of the bride and groom.

Butch's Big Golf Tip of the Day

Butch changes his golf grips frequently.  He takes off the old grips and wraps the shaft with masking tape, then pours paint lacquer into the grip also spraying some on the masking tape followed by quickly pushing the new grip onto the shaft. Tricky job and you have to work fast. Well he discovered the other day he just cannot get it done anymore. Naturally he blamed the lacquer thinner. "They must have changed the formula". I suspicioned  and told him so that he may not have the power in his hands he once had. He didn't want to think that was true but gave it some credence. He planned to have Jason help him get the new grips on. The mailman came by today and remarked on the weather saying the course had dried up enough to play golf. Butch told him his tale of woe. He told Butch it was an easy job and he would do it for him if needed. He said he uses an air compressor. Blows those babies off with it and blows the new ones on with it. Slick as a whistle! Butch still has Leo's air compressor here...we also have one on the motorhome...so he blew those things on slick as a whistle and he is pleased as punch!

Be careful what you wish for...

Butch called the homeowner of the place next door and asked him to divert his sump pump water to another location, preferably the street and the storm drains. After learning that we could not go to our motorhome without wading in water he agreed and 20 minutes later his son showed up. Both father and son felt the need to discuss property lines etc. We ignored that part of the conversation because we have checked at the courthouse and we are within our boundaries and rights even though they do not believe it. I assume at some point in our lives a survey will be necessary. Anyway they extended the pipe from the sump pump and aimed it somewhat toward the street but not all the way. So then our front yard started flooding instead of the backyard! Finally Butch took pipe of our own and extended it to the street and it soon corrected the issue. I am assuming that we will need to monitor it each time it rains. The house is a rental and the renters do not give a rats patootie and the owner really doesn't either.

Still no Russ...but we keep hoping. Not yesterday...maybe today.

Smiling Leo

More Rain and other stuff

Jason did come over and helped Butch get the microwave installed. Then they moved on to finishing up the plumbing in the crawl space. Jason will be very glad to come over someday when he doesn't have to spend time in his "Man Cave". So will we. He said he is not fond of the decor down there at all. So it is a done deal now. Butch will probably have to check for leaks one more time but then we hope no one has to go down there for a good long time.
BUT...it is still raining...EVERY STINKIN' DAY!! Yesterday it rained 1.10 inch. And then it rained during the night...another .6 of an inch. So the sump pump is still needed and our neighbor still has his aimed at us. Back yard is flooded as much or more than ever so we are once again wading to the motorhome.

Sure would like to see Russ show up tonight. Countertop and installing kitchen faucet should take care of it. A few small things like installing cupboard door hardware, towel rings, rods and hooks etc. but then we can have our  day to day life happening in one location and that will be a good thing. I am not fond of wading in ankle deep water to the motorhome to cook supper.

Birthday Girl is a hoot!

Yesterday and today...

Yesterday we went to Clive Ia with our Hyundai for a recall fix. That was handled with speed and efficiency and then we went to our store of choice these days- Menards! Picked up a few items- not many- and then we went to Patricks in Adel Ia for lunch. Lunch? You might as well say feast. Their portions are huge and mighty tasty. Butch had their meatloaf special and I had a 1/2 order of chicken salad. Neither of us were disappointed. Very good place to eat. This was followed up with a stop at Alco in Perry. I worked at Alco for about 6 months in 1982 or 83 and enjoyed it very much but then I was offered a job at the Panora Medical Clinic so I made the switch. I had not been in the Alco store for many, many years but it is still a nice store to shop.
When we came home we saw that we could now go from the house to the motorhome without our Crocs. Before we had left in the morning we stopped at City Hall to complain about the next door sump pump situation but we were told it was a civic matter and we would need to discuss it with our attorney. So plan B is being mulled over...in our minds...at various hours of the day and night.
Today we are working on getting the microwave installed and laundry caught up. Jason is coming over when he gets off work to help us. Butch will need some muscle to get the microwave in place but he hopes to have all the details done right up to that point. He hollers at me now and then to hold something.
Russ said he would try to make it back some night this week to finish up. The countertop is what is left for him to do. Butch and I along with another helping hand now and then ought to be able to do the remaining things after that. Seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but it is not a full beam just yet.
I called my friend Mickey yesterday to wish her happy birthday and we had a nice visit. Not quite long enough but a nice visit none the less.

And we are still waiting...

Russ said there may be a chance he would work today but still no sign of him.

Saturday I went to Nick's Bar and Grill in Clive Iowa with Pat and Donna for a J.I.G.S. gathering. There were 8 of us there and we had a very good time visiting and catching up. Next months gathering will be on June 29th at the Mexican Restaurant in Jefferson. The following month (July) I hope to be able to host a gathering in my new kitchen/living room. A few things must happen before I can but not many. I tentatively have my plans set for July 27th.

Butch just came in and said he talked to Russ and he will be here in a bit.

Today we have other issues as well. It rained over 4 inches during the night and our backyard is a lake. Not all of it is God Powered as our "neighbor" to the south has a sump pump in his basement with his discharge aimed at us. That will be a-changing I say with conviction. So we currently have to wade through 4-6 inches of water to get from the motorhome to the house and vice-versa. So for now sleeping in the house and  cooking in the motorhome is not working very well. Butch is currently at Bomgaars seeing if a sump pump purchase is feasible and I have evil thoughts of seeing ours pumped into the neighbors basement. Right back at ya "friendly neighbor".

 In this photo below you can see the running water at the corner of the garage.

 Neighbors house in the picture below. Beneath the window a ditch is visible and that is where the water from their basement is gushing out and down the hill to our house.

 Here is a closeup of the ditch and the water gushing out. Water expelled from their place last summer during a drought so you can imagine what it will do now.

Still waiting...

We are stuck...but once the cabinets are installed it will be smooth sailing from there on out as we will be relying on our own resources and knowledge. We have been sleeping in the house but everything else is in the motorhome. It is what you might call schizophrenic living and yes it feels that way to us.
Yesterday I finally got some plants in the ground and if it ever gets warm enough and /or dry enough  I plan to do a bit more. Memorial Day flowers at the cemetery have passed me by this year but they all know they are in my mind and heart and they are the ones I care about and remember...so it is okay.
So till next time...

And then...

Butch needs the part for the saw...he needs to cut some stuff...so he was wishing the part we ordered for Leo's saw would get here. If "if 's" and "but's" were candy and nuts we'd all have a Merry Christmas! So I went online to track the order and it should be coming in today's mail. lucky guy he is...
I  checked in on Facebook and found this Elise and Leo picture, the first of many like this one I am sure. She was using her Doctor tools to examine him.

And the diagnosis is?

From Nana Susan: 

She checked out Nana and Leo, then called the doctor to report we were fine and that "she

appreciated their cooperation!" Oh my!!

All coming together...

It has been a wild and crazy month + since we came home from Texas but it is finally all coming together. Everything ordered has been delivered. Russ stopped by last night and began the cabinet installation. Prior to that we had worked on getting the bottom part of the vanity installed. More to do on that but getting closer. So the end is near!!
We have slept in the new house the last few nights and we are loving the mattress. I now want one for the motorhome but first must figure out a plan for the old one. I will be working on that. I have a few leads to follow up on.
Pictures soon.

Where was I...

Oh yes, we are on hold. Waiting for our friend Russ to have enough free time to get to us. Yesterday I went to Garden Club, getting roped into that by my friend Pat. As it turned out I was on the committee for it but with co-hostess Jerilyn and my sis-in-law Keri the super cook I came through it virtually unscathed. Keri made little Key Lime and Chocolate mini-pies for me to take and they were perfect and a big hit. Thank you, Keri!

The breezeway is 95% done. We will in time replace the steps but that is a project that can wait.

From My Sister- Theresa Arts

Sparrow is a young great pyrenees that was hit by a car and
abandoned. She was found and brought to the C.A.R.E. group that my
daughter, Tara, belongs to. The vet wanted to put Sparrow down, but
Tara responded with her heart and said no. Her mentor, Mycal agreed
with her. Sparrow's front left leg was amputated and Tara got to bring
her home on Saturday. She was scared and hurting, but chowed down the
chicken hindquarters that Tara fed her. Good sign. In sharing her good
fortune of getting to foster and work with Sparrow (adoption is in the
future), Tara shared her good news with her friends on facebook and on
the raw feeding forums she belongs to. Much to her great surprise,
someone offered to have a fundraiser to help buy equipment to help
Sparrow lead a happy life. If you would like to check out the site and
follow Sparrow's recuperation, here is the site:
"We Rescue - One Dog at a Time" advocates for rescued dogs around the
United States by utilizing Social Media.
www.youcaring.com/pet-expenses/we-rescue-one-dog-at-a-time/60595
(There are pictures.)

Yesterday

Butch and I finished out ALL the trim and touched up paint where needed. And then we decided to tear into the vanity in the bathroom and we successfully installed all the top parts. So we decided to see how much of the remainder we could tackle- opened the box...and discovered it was the wrong color. Black or chocolate brown instead of white so I called Menards and we came to a resolution but the person I talked to failed to instill confidence so I still have hope but will not be convinced just yet that it is "rectified". I will know on Tuesday.
Today we had most things all done so we decided to go to an auction in Glidden Iowa. We came home with one small item but we tried to buy more. An interesting side note: The lady having the sale is 90 years of age and she is choosing to downsize. She said she buried St Joseph in the yard and sold her house the next day. She swears it works every time. Carroll County Iowa is heavily Catholic but she swears it works for everyone regardless of denomination. The only problem is she would like to dig St Joseph up now that her house is sold but she has forgotten where she buried him! Her neighbor said how hard can it be to find him. He has to be under fresh dirt. She had to give possession right away so my guess is St Joseph is going to stay buried right where he is. So if you want your house to sell quick go buy a St Joseph artifact and bury it in the yard. She assured me it could be a cheap plastic replica and work just the same. Let me know if you try it.

So far today...

All the trim in the house and breezeway is finished. Needs a bit of touch up paint is all. We are ready for Russ! This being graduation weekend may be what is keeping him otherwise occupied. We do have a couple of other projects we could start and probably will.
We found the leak in the bathroom and it was not the wax ring. It was in the vicinity of the shut off valve beside the stool and I am not knowledgeable enough to be more specific than that. Bottom line and the good news is that it is no longer a leak. It has been fixed.
I have not put one flower in the ground as yet so that is another project I could start in on and most likely will...right after a short nap.

Time is flying!

Received a call from Menards yesterday morning and they asked me if I had checked the cabinets yet. I had not. They said they were fairly certain I was missing one...I was...it is the sink cabinet. AND they thought perhaps I had one that was not mine...I don't. But anyway it put a crimp into my morning because checking it all out more thoroughly than I had prior took up a chunk of time and numbers make my head hurt. It is now all checked and using my new word "wrecktified". The missing sink cabinet is supposed to be delivered Tuesday.
We ran out of trim molding so Butch went to a local supplier- Tri-County Lumber- and they did not have any that was primed. So we took time out to go to Menards. We are nearing the end of our trips to home improvement stores for awhile. Our coffers need to recover!
So this morning I am returning to my job of painting molding and trying to stay a step ahead of Butch measuring and applying. And then we hope to be interrupted by our friend Russ who will be supervising cabinet installation....and the beat goes on. Things are sure changing very quickly and we hope to be moving in very soon.

Sick of it!

The molding came primed but still needed paint. so that is what I have been doing for two days now and we will soon be running out and need more! Butch assured me we would buy it locally so I do not even get the break of sitting in the car to go 40 miles to pick it up. Such is life.
We are making great progress. The closet is done except for closety stuff like closet rods etc. Structurally it is done including all the molding and trim. Bathroom needs the vanity installed which is in a box in the kitchen area. Oh yes, Butch tells me the stool needs pulled and a new wax ring installed but he needs more help than I can give him to do it. When it comes to strength I am only half a person. I discovered water in the bathroom this morning shortly before my walk and woke him up to tell him. When I returned is when he told me he knew where the water was coming from. So our day started on a negative note and has been a bit of a theme for the day. Shortly after the water leak discovery the chop saw (Leo's ) quit and Butch discovered a broken belt. A new one has been ordered but we need a saw NOW. So as luck would have it I remembered that my good friend Colleen has one and she is back from Florida so we were able to borrow hers. There was bit of a "difference of opinion" between Butch and myself over one of the trim boards but no sense beating a dead horse so I will say no more about that. It has been rectified...sort of...or should I say wrecktified. No, I won't.
The bedroom is done except for baseboard moldings and a fair amount of the main room has trim and moldings in progress. Next up will be cabinets and vanity when our friend Russ can get here to help us. I think he said something about this weekend.
And I have supper on ...Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls...so all is good.