Well everybody, it is time to put the jayhawk statues away, take off your red slippers, and throw out the decorative chaff. Kansas Day has come and gone!
For the first time, we attended the Weddle's annual Kansas Day celebration. It was no easy task; the previous day we got locked out of our garage. I had locked up after getting some wood out of the rafters, and the next time I went out, the key turned in the lock but the bolt would not budge. Not sure what to do, I went and told Rachel (getting some "I told you it was wrong" along the way) and left it until the next day.
Problem was, I could not open the garage door - the only opener was in the car which was in the garage. There are two windows, but neither are designed to open. That left one option (aside from breaking a window) - the roof.
Eric had suggested via Facebook that I access the garage through the roof vent. So I got on the ladder, scaled the roof, and with some difficulty tore loose the vent, exposing a 6" hole into the garage.
Realizing that I had no trained squirrels with which to send in to open the door, I had to improvise. I grabbed a 10' EMT conduit from the basement and duct taped a broomstick to it. I poked around at the lock on the door, and was successful in turning the latch - but the bolt still did not move. So I taped a PVC poker at a 90 degree angle to the pole and poked around at the garage door opener - and success! Access to our car was restored.
We traveled down to the Weddles, quizzing each other on Kansas trivia along the way. We talked housing (they are in the market), ate buffalo chili, and saw our studying pay off as I placed first among non-Kansans! Not only that, but my escapades on the roof earlier that day earned me a second trophy. They were VERY popular with Andrew, who clutched both all the way home. I will take it as a sign that he is proud of his Dad!
Our living room is an issue. The #1 problem is the fireplace. The paint is partially stripped, leaving a mottled brick/orange/white mess. It is an eyesore, but we have somewhat gotten use to it. After Christmas, when the decorations came down, I decided to do something about it. I picked a few rows of bricks along the bottom, and dutifully stripped/scrubbed them as clean as I could. I got most of the paint off, but it was still showing residue in the cracks and crevices of the brick. Chances of successfully restoring the brick? Next to nil. Back to the drawing board....
However, the fireplace is on hold (too messy a job to spread out over a long period of time) and I am spending what little energy I have on the basement. I worked down there on Saturday, framing a new wall on which I will start hanging cabinetry for my new workshop. It was my first framing attempt (since working on a Habitat house in high school, anyway) and good practice for when we put in a family room on the other side of the basement. I will be installing our old kitchen cabinets, which are still in good shape, as soon as I free up my schedule....
For the first time, we attended the Weddle's annual Kansas Day celebration. It was no easy task; the previous day we got locked out of our garage. I had locked up after getting some wood out of the rafters, and the next time I went out, the key turned in the lock but the bolt would not budge. Not sure what to do, I went and told Rachel (getting some "I told you it was wrong" along the way) and left it until the next day.
Problem was, I could not open the garage door - the only opener was in the car which was in the garage. There are two windows, but neither are designed to open. That left one option (aside from breaking a window) - the roof.
Eric had suggested via Facebook that I access the garage through the roof vent. So I got on the ladder, scaled the roof, and with some difficulty tore loose the vent, exposing a 6" hole into the garage.
Realizing that I had no trained squirrels with which to send in to open the door, I had to improvise. I grabbed a 10' EMT conduit from the basement and duct taped a broomstick to it. I poked around at the lock on the door, and was successful in turning the latch - but the bolt still did not move. So I taped a PVC poker at a 90 degree angle to the pole and poked around at the garage door opener - and success! Access to our car was restored.
We traveled down to the Weddles, quizzing each other on Kansas trivia along the way. We talked housing (they are in the market), ate buffalo chili, and saw our studying pay off as I placed first among non-Kansans! Not only that, but my escapades on the roof earlier that day earned me a second trophy. They were VERY popular with Andrew, who clutched both all the way home. I will take it as a sign that he is proud of his Dad!
On the home front, I got a little work done last weekend after several weeks of being up to my ears in grading and extra-curriculars. Rachel and I have many projects in mind, but this is simply not the time to get a lot done. That means prioritizing. Let the debate begin!
Our living room is an issue. The #1 problem is the fireplace. The paint is partially stripped, leaving a mottled brick/orange/white mess. It is an eyesore, but we have somewhat gotten use to it. After Christmas, when the decorations came down, I decided to do something about it. I picked a few rows of bricks along the bottom, and dutifully stripped/scrubbed them as clean as I could. I got most of the paint off, but it was still showing residue in the cracks and crevices of the brick. Chances of successfully restoring the brick? Next to nil. Back to the drawing board....
Option #1 is to paint. But what color? Not red, and it was already white when we moved in....so....? So instead we (foolishly) chose Option #2 - rebuild. When the time avails itself, I will try to dismantle the fireplace and rebuild it by turning the bricks around so that the previously hidden, unpainted sides show. If this doesn't work, we will just take it out completely. Neither of us felt comfortable with a painted fireplace this large, so this seems the best course of action.
After that, we can start to make the tougher decisions of furniture, built-in bookcases, fancy rug, proper window treatments, artwork, mantle decorations, etc. All of those purchases are up in the air as our ability to create a master design plan for the room has been stifled by this fireplace.
However, the fireplace is on hold (too messy a job to spread out over a long period of time) and I am spending what little energy I have on the basement. I worked down there on Saturday, framing a new wall on which I will start hanging cabinetry for my new workshop. It was my first framing attempt (since working on a Habitat house in high school, anyway) and good practice for when we put in a family room on the other side of the basement. I will be installing our old kitchen cabinets, which are still in good shape, as soon as I free up my schedule....
But no rush. We are not going anywhere, and these projects will be waiting for me!
-alan
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