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To celebrate the Fourth of July, we let our neighbors spend all their own money on fireworks. We watched them detonate their savings, while we fed some large bonfires on the property and had a spectacular night that ended up costing us nothing. :)
This simple photo is symbolic of weeks of work and more money spent than I want to admit to. I have always wanted to run power out to the RV barn but it was a huge job - 150 feet of number 6 wire through 1 1/4 inch conduit, mostly buried, and some through an attic. But also to disconnect power to the observatory and use that breaker spot for the 50 amp circuit, and will then rewire to the observatory ... meaning a lot more trench digging and conduit work. I worked all day Saturday, 12 hours, to get this one little light bulb to come on. And that's not to mention all the work last weekend and the weekend before that. Still, though - when I flipped the breaker switch and the little light came on, it all was worthwhile. If you've ever done this kind of work, you know the little thoughts that go through your mind right before you flip that switch. :)
Things took a sudden, sharp turn toward the holidays when Jim and Linda worked together to hang lights, set up the tree and unpack boxes of ornaments. With all the recent work done on our Lariat Drive property, the lights just add bling to an ever-changing scene.
Oh bother. First we had a volcano grow in our front yard (Mt. St. Wiggles). And now we have a geyser. Shall we get a National Park designation for our property? All kidding aside, this was a $500 water main break that destroyed a good percentage of my beautiful front yard. It's all fixed now, and just a matter of time before we get a grand canyon in the back yard or some other geologic phenomenon that people might pay to visit and park. ;)
The roofing project continues! We are two years into a three-year-project "overhaul" of this property. Already, we have dramatically improved the property value and our quality of life. Though replacing the heat pump and putting on a new roof was not part of the three-year approach, it was necessary. Next year, all should be done. Having skylights that no longer leak will be a real treat!
Finally, the new roof is going on the house. After having to put drip buckets beneath the skylights last winter, we finally decided to bite the multi-gadzillion-thousand-dollar bullet and have a roof put on. We had estimates from seven companies (and hence, our horrible experience with State Roofing of Washington) and finally got the guy we wanted all along, Martin Beisley.
The BFD (Big frikkin' Dodge) sits opposite the new driveway gate.
SNEAK PEEK - LEVEL HEADS II:
In Jim W. Coleman's latest book,
LEVEL HEADS XE: THE DELUXE EDITION, the author included a story called The Heat Pump, which has turned out to be (to him) the defining story in the book. Pictured above is the actual heat pump that inspired that chilling story of Ralph Monske and his beloved heat pump. Alas, life moves on, and the heat pump needs to be replaced. Pictured above, laborers move the new heat pump into position on the concrete slab.
To commemorate the occasion, Coleman is writing a story called "The Other Heat Pump." Watch for it in LEVEL HEADS II - the follow-up to his successful 2005 publication.
State Roofing: I am writing to express my grave concern and barely-suppressed anger at one of your employees/contractors, Patrick Santiago. We had an appointment scheduled today (Aug. 29, 2006) at 6 p.m. at our home. It was the second appointment we had scheduled with State Roofing. While driving home, I blew a tire on a sharp corner three miles from home. I called my wife, requesting assistance as I was on a blind corner and needed help redirecting traffic as I’d be out in 50 mph traffic on the side of the road. She left a note on the door for Patrick, letting him know that an emergency had come up and that we would reschedule.
Continue reading "08/29/2006 - STATE ROOFING (WASHINGTON)"
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Sometime during the day on Friday, July 7, 2006, the skylight over the back storage room in Jim's writing studio exploded, showering glass all over the carpet and items on the floor, over the computers, over the art storage racks, and more. It literally will likely take years to remove all the glass from the room as it showered over semi-permanent storage racks loaded with Cherokee Art prints and other business and personal items.
It was a double paned skylight - only the inner pane ruptured with dramatic force. We are at a loss to explain how that could have happened. Has anyone ever heard of this type of thing, or experienced it yourself? If so, please comment.
Well, to keep out a certain neighbor and some persistent solicitors (the guy selling frozen meat), we've decided to have an ornamental driveway gate installed. Being one who values his privacy (quality sun-tanning time) I've long wanted a gate on the property. Now, it's essential. The contractor FINALLY showed up today to begin the job. Here is a hole he dug. Oh wow.
Two cords of hard, heavy,madrona firewood are delivered to Jim and Linda's Lariat Drive home during a windstorm where winds reached 60 mph and power was knocked out for two days. But still, life goes on and good, hard wood is a necessity in any winter storm. Jim commended the guy for his courage in driving through the storm to fulfill his obligation - it was a scary storm situation on the Kitsap peninsula.
As has been the tradition for most of my adult life, the Coleman table is spread with fingerfoods on Christmas and New Years Eves, and anyone can drop by. This is the table tonight, on New Years Eve. Home grown vegetables that have been pickled, home made tortilla chips, various salamis and cheeses, breads, condiments and more. And later, dessert.
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