Author: peterb51

3rd September 2024

A restless night, but a long oversleep meant a late breakfast, leading to not starting jobs until after mid day. Not ideal, but I had my list to push me forward. 

The first job on the list had to be abandoned because the contact adhesive had thickened and was therefore useless, so no edge banding.

I got the saw out and cut boards for a side table top and rough cut Elaine’s door decoration.

My mind wasn’t really into work today, it might be my man period time, everything annoyed me, I dropped things, and generally bad mouthed everything I could.

It is also the harvest time for the elderberries.

I sit in the evening stripping the berries from the stalks with a fork. Many hours of this ahead I expect.

We did some work on the dresser that still hadn’t sold, we thought it was the lock detail that was missing as the reason. Kelli ordered some escutcheons, and I fitted them, now I hope it will go.

2nd September 2024

Labour Day was here, and part of the celebration was to drive over to the north side to collect a free credenza, that we hope to convert into a buffet.

It sure was a heavy piece, even with the drawers out it weighed a ton. The back panel was three quarter inch plywood, so it is not surprising.

It stayed in the truck, I decided to wait until tomorrow to unload, maybe then I will have the strength.

We prepared for our family gathering, the Dyson vacuum went though the wringer as usual, Kelli’s relationship with it will never improve. I intervened to avoid it being thrown outside. 

We had decided to have sandwiches instead of a grill, I did not want a repeat of the forth of July debacle.

It went well, everyone brought a different filling and there was plenty for everyone. I had some wine to numb the experience, but needed a strong coffee to remain coherent.

The weather was perfect, and everyone enjoyed themselves even though Matt and Brenda didn’t stay very long.

I was able to wash up everything quickly allowing us to take the dogs for a walk, then settled down for a rest, boy, entertaining is so exhausting.

1st September 2024

We were busy this morning tidying up the back garden because we have Kelli’s family around for a Labour Day party.

This marks the end of summer, a time of sadness, I hadn’t achieved much that I had hoped, it was more keeping afloat. Plants grow, and look great, my priorities were placed elsewhere, there’s alway next year to do stuff.

Then we cycled up to Kelli’s mums to help Matt mount his TV on the wall upstairs.

Luckily he had a stud finder, making the mounting relatively easy. The thing itself was 72” wide, a monstrous beast. Once the position he wanted it was agreed, it didn’t take that long to get everything fixed to the wall and the screen mounted.

I’m not sure I would want a screen that large, the static alone would make my eyebrows stand out.

Next was trying to locate the water stopcock.

No one knew where that was, an important bit of information because the next job was to change the siphon in the downstairs toilet.

We ventured downstairs into the basement, the floor space above was riddled with copper pipes and taps going in all directions; victim of years of additions and alterations. I found the pipe leading to the outside tap, it was a larger diameter than the others, that was high pressure, I walked into the other part of the basement, the place where Dave had his workshop and there was the meter and the main’s stopcock.

I then got roped in to helping/ doing the change of siphon. The original problem was the water was not flowing fast enough to clear the toilet. I was not convinced that the siphon was the problem, but changed it anyway.

Sure enough it made no difference to the flushing force.

I suggested that there might be a restriction in the U-bend, I certainly was not going to get more involved in that part.

I had  done my good deed, and was adequately rewarded with a bowl of ice cream, with that I can put up with any thing, including two annoying puppies running about nipping at my legs. 

I did have a thought about sticking a pole up the little pup’s arse and shove that round the bend, but I didn’t,  that would not add to family harmony.

31st August 2024

It is very noticeable how the sun is moving into its autumnal position in the sky. The deck and seating now get shade during the afternoon, and a reminder that the year is sliding away.

It was time to plan the autumn jobs, of which there are many. The first one is to join the end of the berm with a flower circle set into the front lawn. Each is edged with stone blocks that we will have to add to. This is not easy; these blocks must be over forty years old, so getting ones to match will be difficult, even if we can find the exact ones today.

Kelli had an idea to advertise on the local free site, sometimes this could work, it would be wonderful if it does.

Kelli took her first bike ride since the accident, just a short route around the area, I kept my distance and she did okay, her wound has healed up well, and even she is happy with it.

30th August 2024

We made an early visit to the shooting range, well early for us, it was 11.00am. The place was busy, we had to wait till all the bullets ran out.

We had to use the hundred yard range, for our six yard targets.

After distributing about a hundred casings into the grass, we had to walk round to collect them.

We both suffered from good groupings, but bias towards our non dominant hand. So mine went to the right and Kelli’s to the left. With that established, and bit of aiming tweaks brought them more central.

I had promised Lloyd that I would help him unload his truck full of all their furniture.

I got there right on time and was introduced to a few more of his mates. Most of them looked older, it made me feel like the youngster.

It was savage work, especially in the heat, but after an hour and a half all the contents were transferred from the truck to a storage lock up. All the old guys were bathed in sweat, but no one died, most looked closer to it, but we all did our good deed.

It made me realise what crap we move around, most is sentimental rubbish that we know we have, that has no value, but we can’t bare to be without it. 

Lloyd was happy, but it will all have to be moved out again in a month when they secure their new home.

29th August 2024

It was all hands on deck to get the two dressers ready for collection.

The humidity was hampering the drying of the top of the tall dresser, alway a cause for anxiety.

It was all done, I was ready to start on the bedside tables for the same couple.

I had to forego my beer tasting session. Lloyd was bringing furniture from their sold home in Florida back to Holland where they have just secured a condominium.

It was quiet for the rest of the day, we had to have another pool time, these will become less frequent as we slip into September.

Our frog has been hiding from us for several days, that is our first port of call every morning, it might be too warm for it. 

28th August 2024

My first task of the day was to put a call in to my credit card company. I was looking at my monthly statement last night and noticed two transactions that I did not recognise.

The first was a modest amount of a few pounds, the second was about ten times larger, I can only imagine what other amounts would have occurred if I hadn’t checked.

The phone call was short and ended with my card being cancelled which was a bummer as soon I was planning to book my flight back to the UK. Now I have to wait for the replacement card to be sent to my cottage in Bradford on Avon and for Ryan and Louise to send it out to me.

I don’t know how these things happen, the only time I let the card out of my site was at a recent restaurant, I can’t believe it could have happened there as I’ve been there many times without a problem.

So with my money returned and my card useless we had to go shopping.

I was in a particularly dozy mood as we didn’t get much sleep, people were annoying me. ladies standing in front of the chiller doors stopping me collecting the items we needed.

I’m glad we survived and got out quickly, otherwise I might have bitten someone’s head off.

Late afternoon I had to drive to the shooting range to meet up with James our ammunition pimp, he had purchased a thousand rounds for us through “ his contacts”

I didn’t realise how heavy they were until he handed me the box, my hands and head dropped towards the ground, it was only my hidden strength stopped me looking like a complete burke.

27th August 2024,

I was intending to take things a bit easier today, I had two tops for side tables to finish, that would be enough.

But things didn’t work out that simple. I got side tracked into modifying the old bench to fit into the new greenhouse. 

Kelli had to paint wash a top and drawer fronts, but it wasn’t going well. The heat of the day didn’t help, we needed a plan B.

We didn’t have a plan B and the pressure was building up as we promised these two dressers would be finished mid week.

The finish we were going for was to match a piece they had already bought, but some of the timber was not the same so the colour wouldn’t match anyway.

Kelli eventually contacted the buyer and got a concession which was a bit of a relief.

I managed to get the bench finished and installed, and as we expect rain tonight it was important to get all the stuff back inside the new enclosure.

A dip in the pool was a welcomed escape from the craziness.

26th August 2024

“ It’ll take me an hour and a half tops to build that greenhouse “ I announced confidently.

In reality it took over five, and I thought I was going to die, it was so hot and humid, I must have lost all my fluids.

Kelli alway rushes out with cold water because she knows I don’t think about such things until I pass out.

What was confusing was in installation instructions, some parts were bloody obvious others downright confusing.

My biggest gripe with it is the height of the doorway. At five foot six it is ideal for someone from China but for me, a few inches taller, I hit my head too many times to keep count.

I needed a float around in the pool to take rest, before adding the final touches.

It is not the best product, but for the money it was cheaper than buying a new cover for the other structure. Hopefully it will last a bit longer as well.

25th August 2024

It was not the perfect day to erect a new greenhouse, the humidity was high and the slightest exertion was a sweaty experience.

The good news was someone wanted our old greenhouse, we laid out the framework and cover on the driveway ready for collection.

When the truck arrived a Dad and his son climbed out of the cab. The lad was using crutches, as he had broken his leg. The greenhouse was for him to build up his flower growing side hustle. We were happy that it was going to be used for some benefit.

Once they had left, I had to start on the new build.

The footprint was slightly different meaning I had to rebuild the foundation pads to fit the new wooden frame that the greenhouse will sit on.

It was hot work, the clothes I was wearing were soaking wet, very unpleasant.

As soon as everything was level and square, it was pool time.

Was that refreshing? I could have remained there for the rest of the day, but I wanted to set the greenhouse floor frame out before stopping for the day, with yet another set of wet clothes.