Author: peterb51

11th March 2022

There was more bloody snow to wake up to. The poor garden doesn’t know what going on, the small glimpses of green that had appeared has another blanket of cold stuff.

With the roads white, I ventured out alone to pick up more timber and other supplies. I’m fortunate to have a very warm coat, that makes this place tolerable, but by the time I got out the sun was out and the snow started to melt, seems nature goes to all this trouble, then it turns to water.

When I returned, we had to leave again to collect more furniture, this time another dresser and a set of drawers.

The dresser was set in the garage so an easy pick-up and go, but the other house was in a posh neighbourhood where house were set around a man made lake.

The lady of the house recognised my accent which I alway seem to emphasise when I meet people for the first time, and we chatted for a while. Luckily the drawers were in separate units that stacked together like a giant toy, which made it easy to fit into the available space left in the back of the truck.

Once back home I worked on the tops for the side table whilst Kelli re-assembled the kitchen. By the end of the day most of the snow had melted thank goodness, but be warned, there is more expected tomorrow.

10th March 2022

I made sure I paid the utility bills for my cottage in Bradford on Avon. This was a particular high one, mainly for the last three years the electric was estimated even though it was supposed to be a smart meter.

When I queried an earlier bill I was told (after a while) the smart part of the meter was not functioning. I asked my son Ryan to send me the reading which I then submitted hence a large catch- up bill.

As the property is being run as an Airbnb whilst I’m in the US I’m not panicking.

Back in the USA we had to drive to Grandville to collect three pieces of mid century furniture that, based on previous experiences should sell fast.

However when I saw the pieces they were a horrible colour. I’m not sure what you call the effect, but it was awful.

We managed to squeeze all three pieces into the truck and drove back.

The good old trusty Toyota just clocked over two hundred and sixty thousand miles, enough to get to the moon plus a bit, so I’m impressed with the reliability of the vehicle.

We unloaded the pieces straight away, the true horror of the colour became apparent. The reason for the swift unloading was we had to pick up another piece from an address close by.

The piece was hidden under a tarpaulin to the side of the house. Underneath was an odd dresser with glass panels in the drawer front, similar to a display cabinet found in clothes shops where the goods are visible.

It sure was a bloody heavy bugger, poor Kelli struggled to lift it on to the tailgate, but with superhuman strength we pushed it inside, that will stay in the back of the truck until we have some space to put it.

9th March 2022

I didn’t know it was Wednesday already, the only clue I had was Larry’s wheelie bin at the side of the road. I checked with Kelli, she wasn’t sure, but did confirm what day it was.

Damn! We must do more things.

I started assembling the glasshouse shelf frames, I need more wood to complete it, but I intend to recycle some material to make the slats.

I also built up the raised bed frame, although the growing season is slower here I want to get most of the outdoor woodwork projects during March so I can start on the back garden projects in April.

There are pieces of toy kitchen scattered around in various states of finish. Kelli is getting quick on her mobile stool, spinning and racing about from a seated position.

8th March 2022

We sold the mid century dresser this afternoon. A young lady who was very pregnant loved it, and paid us the full asking price. Her husband came to collect it after he finished work, however we had kept the garage door open so I could keep an eye out for him.

I started cutting the desk pedestals to size ready to start the painting. I need timber to add to the top to neaten it for when the top is fitted.

I also started cutting the timber for the glasshouse shelf. The place looked like a snow storm after I’d finished, which was ironic, as yesterday there was snow outside.

Kelli was working on the child’s kitchen, not sure if it was a good idea to get, but we sold the last one for a good profit, but there was a lot of time spent doing it.

7th March 2022

The front and back garden was completely clear of snow, even the compacted stuff by the road had gone. The only snow left in the area was the steep bank that a guy across the road had made into a toboggan run from his porch to their driveway. That is due to last until June.

Imagine the horror when I looked out of the bedroom window to see more bloody white stuff, an inch all over the freshly cleaned deck, damn you snow maker!

We had to deliver the large buffet to an address in West Olive, about fifteen miles away. Fortunately we had loaded it into the truck yesterday, good thinking on our behalf.

When we got there it was in a trailer park, our favourite places, because they are laid out like a maze, and the numbers don’t make sense.

It was amazing, it was be easy to find.

Getting it into the place was a challenge, the piece was heavy, and the doorway was narrow. I find it hard to climb steps backwards, because of my old knees, but somehow I found the strength to do it. For a mobile home it was quite deep, and of course it had to go right down the far end.

I stopped off at Menards to purchase some timber for a job I’ve been commissioned to make, not a big job, but it’s actually making something.

Around four in the afternoon we had someone come to look at the monolith. A lady and her daughter looked over it, opening all the drawers, finally she asked if we would take a lower figure, at this stage we might have paid her to take it, but instead we agreed on the lower figure, and it was collected later by her husband.

Monolith gone, thank heavens, good riddance.

We finished the mid century dresser and it looked amazing. Hopefully we can get a good price for this, we need to make up for some of the dogs we’ve sold so far this month.

6th March 2022

It was the day of rest, no of course I’m joking.

We had one delivery and two pick-ups today.

The delivery was the headboard, the piece we had so long there was risk of the wood rotting.

It was ironic that we delivered it to a house about six houses from where we collected it.

Then we drove to the north side to collect another child’s toy kitchen. You’d have thought that we learnt our lesson on the last one. They take quite a bit of work to do, but Kelli keeps saying that she needs things to do, so this is her project.

Then it was off to Jenison to collect a desk. This will be converted into two matching side tables that we have a bit of success with these, but it means that I have to do quite a bit of work on them.

We got back just in time for lunch, after a bit of refuelling we dragged the newly painted monolith into the house for more pictures.

Kelli started stripping the kitchen while I dismantled the desk.

It was much colder today, quite a bit, I think it reached a high of thirty seven, so no garage door open, and back to standing by the heater.

5th March 2022

I am amazed that the commercials on the radio and television over here that advertise medication. Some of it is pretty heavy stuff, they always speed through the small print at a hundred miles an hour, but there is always a side effect that results in death. Then at the end they recommend that you speak to a doctor before taking it. Isn’t that the wrong way round? I’ve never been to a doctor and told him what is wrong with me.

It was the warmest day of the year so far, up in the sixties, so outside we did go.

Job one was to clear out the space adjacent to the garage which had all the outdoor furniture stacked up. We moved everything, out and swept all the leaves that were trapped.

Job two was the building of the greenhouse.

There was a report of a wasp loose in the area. Dozy from the long winter, it flew about looking for its first victim, and guess who it found?

We carried the box containing the greenhouse through the garage to the back garden where we opened it.

I started checking the parts to make sure they were all there. Kelli was sitting, waiting to start the assembly procedure. Suddenly she shrieked in pain as this single solitary wasp, the only one in Holland, stung her on the finger.

There was a frantic moment of panic as I searched for my Boys own book of magic potions but couldn’t find that. Next was Google, warm water and an ice pack was suggested. I remembered that my mother used to put vinegar on stings, well she put it on everything, it might be a German thing.

Once the pain had subsided, she put a plaster on the wounded digit, well she puts a plaster on everything, no matter on the size of the wound, it must be an American thing.

We started the great build, connecting tubes and brackets, feeding bolts through holes until the structure was built.

There was a discussion about where to place it, “it must be in the sun” was the answer. We shuffled it across the garden to a suitable location, then stood back to admire our work.

Next we had to spray paint the mid century dresser, as it was warm, it was perfect to do that.

Next on the list was cleaning the deck, so with a bucket and a cloth I got on my knees and cleaned half of it. This was so I could store the patio furniture until the other half of the deck was done on another day.

4th March 2022

Our work was interrupted by a neighbour from up the road who stopped by to see how we were doing. Compared to him our lives were quite boring.

He told us that he had a car accident back in December, he was driving in the town, blacked out and hit a tree. Poor tree, it’s always the innocent that suffer. He is quite a big guy, and had heart trouble, par for the course over here. The car was written off, meaning he had to get a new one, and as he is not allowed to drive until his doctor signs him off his wife has to do the driving. This news hadn’t hit the neighbourhood grapevine, or if it did no one told us, even Mike and Lesley hadn’t heard, it was a surprise when he told us his story.

Everyone shuts themselves off during winter, and unless you see the flashing lights through the window you never know what happens.

We managed to finally sell the twin size headboard, this has been hanging around for ages, and the price dropped to a point that I would have burnt it on the driveway rather than lower it any further, but note to self, DON’T BUY ANOTHER HEADBOARD.

3rd March 2023

We check on the daily temperature as others check on the stock prices. There is excitement if we can open the garage doors.

Looking around the desolation that is our garden, there are signs of life, and it’s amazing.

There are also a lot of dog poop that has been frozen now emerging like a glacier giving up its victims, I don’t remember the gardens in the UK looking so dead.

It will be another month before there is more signs of growth, then I have to start on the pruning, something that I’m not experienced in, but I’m watching the YouTube videos.

Kelli has decided to repaint the monolith. The black carcass was too dark, so out came the white paints and the brushes.

I had a top to fit on the buffet. I noted that the piece was manufactured in Vietnam which all made sense. In order to get to the fixings, you needed the body of a five year old boy who could get inside.

Once that was done it was finished, we carried it indoors to take the pictures and posted it on Marketplace.

There are the usual tossers who offer an insulting low price, they can get stuffed.

2nd March 2022

The thaw is well and truly here, almost all has gone from our driveway, just the piles at the end that were the highest are left.

We had another sale this morning, so the second dresser has gone, it just leaves the monolith to go.

Kelli is working on a mid century style dresser, which is starting to look good, whilst the buffet is now waiting for the top that I’m working on.

I also started on the raised bed frames. The planks of cedar that I have been sitting on for the last six months are suddenly now being moved. I managed to assemble the end panels so maybe by the weekend I will assemble the whole frame.

The Russian invasion has dominated the news as you would expect. It is warming to see the world standing together to condemn and sanction Putin and his band of cronies. As the news outlets point out this is not a war by the Russian people, but they will suffer deeply with the country cut off from the world, maybe it’s the people that will raise up and change the outcome, and maybe the government. That may be wishful thinking, because a desperate leader might resort to the unspeakable, I bloody hope it doesn’t happen.