It must be summah. Peggy and I just got back from a Saturday afternoon drive through the backroads of western Maine, and it was a beautiful drive, but the tourists have definitely arrived. We drove the Maine Turnpike back north to Topsham and it was really busy with most license plates being from out of state. I suppose that's a good thing ... Maine could sure use the revenue left behind by its "summer people."
One of those "tourist" vehicles today will be our son Brian, DIL Nicky and grand daughters Alyssa, and Emily as they drive to Maine from New Jersey to spend the week visiting all us Maine relatives. Actually -- I would think they would be happy just to get out of Jerzee ... but that's just me! Regardless ... we are anxious to see them, get hugs, and visit a few times before they have to head south again.
We had a fun but short visit with our RV buddies Darrell and Judy Patterson as they traveled through Topsham a few days ago. We had a chance to share a Maine scallop dinner on Wednesday night in Brunswick, a shrimp scampi pizza at "The Cabin" in Bath, ME on Thursday, a bit of visiting on both days, and all that mixed in around some repair efforts on their RV before they moved on to Belfast yesterday. We look forward to a longer visit when they travel back through on their way back south in a few weeks. Who knows -- we may even make a day trip up to Belfast before they leave there?
First Impressions
Our First Smartphones
We have had our new Samsung Galaxy S4 "smartphones" for about two weeks now -- so what do we think?
1) We had to have Verizon replace Peggy's phone after one week because the camera feature wouldn't work. Everything else seemed to function OK but the camera App just wouldn't work. Once the phone was replaced everything, including the camera, worked fine. Even though this is a bit disconcerting - I was pretty happy with the way Verizon stepped up and made the swap with no hassles.
2) The battery life is no where near as good as our old "stupid" phones. I could go a week - easy - without charging my old phone. The new phone can make it about two days ... and that's while spending most of its time here at home using the home cable based Wifi to access the internet. I suspect battery life will decrease when we are on the road and using the cellular system more to access the internet.
3) It's bigger and takes up more room in my pocket!
4) I think the sound quality through the phone when making calls is better.
5) Typing a message on the screen keyboard takes some concentration and practice. But it's still easier (for me) than trying to send a text on the old phone's 12 button keypad!
6) The phone's capabilities through all the various Apps are simultaneously amazingly cool and scary at the same time. It knows where you are, it knows what you like, it knows who your friends are, and much more.
For you folks who are really scared about what the NSA might know about you .... I have no doubt that Google and Apple know a whole lot more. Guess where the NSA gets a good deal of its info?
So overall I rate the new experience as a positive. But I still have my concerns about Big Brother!
Tankless - On Demand Hot Water
The heating guys and the propane supply guys showed up yesterday and did what they needed to do to get our new propane fired, tankless, on demand - Hot Water Heater in operation. We have only used it about a day but here are my initial impressions:
1) The installation was a bit complicated since we had to dig that trench and install the underground supply line -- but is was worth it. You would never know we had a 120 gallon propane tank on the property unless you walked behind our shed.
2) The new heater installation was relatively straight forward and only took a few hours. Since the new heater is mounted on a wall we gained some basement floor space which is always nice.
3) We won't know for sure how much $$ we will save on energy costs for some time yet. But it's pretty obvious that we will use less since this unit uses very little electricity and will only be heating water when we want to use it rather than all-the-time just in case we want to use it!
4) The only down side I see at the moment is that there is a noticeable delay when opening the hot water spigot before you get really hot water. The delay is noticeable but not really long. We experience a similar delay in the motorhome shower since the hot water heater is located relatively far from the bathroom. I'm sure we will get used to the delay and in a few months we won't even notice it.
So that's how things are here in late June in the State of Maine -- 73 degrees and sunny at the moment -- but more thunderstorms in the forecast.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Busy Start to Summer
Tuesday was New Water Heater Installation Day. The heating guys showed up around 9:00 AM and went right to work installing our new Rinnai Tankless Hot Water Heater on the west wall of our basement.
The new heater is gas fired, will vent through the basement wall,
and will be fed from a 120 Gallon bottle of propane to be located behind our new shed.
Unfortunately the propane supply company will not be setting up the new tank until this Friday. So we wait until Friday for the final hookup, testing, and operation.
"They" claim that with this heater we will NEVER run out of hot water. Obviously "they" have never met my wife .... perhaps I should have the propane supply company bring a bigger bottle!
Today was Exercise Winne Day so I traveled over to Winne's storage location to start up her generator, exercise the A/C units, and run the hydraulic leveling system jacks up and down. But before that work could happen I had to hack my way through some really tall weeds (grass, hay, Whatever!).
There!! Much Better:
Motorhome storage in the winter has it's own issues - but summer storage requires a bit of maintenance as well!
Upon returning home from that chore Peggy informed me that our RVing buddies, Darrell and Judy Patterson would be arriving here in Topsham this afternoon - rather that tomorrow afternoon! Apparently they must have felt like one really long travel day today with a rest day tomorrow before moving on north to Belfast on Friday was a better idea than traveling for three days in a row. Regardless of their logic - it will be great to see them again. I believe an arrival day Maine seafood dinner will be in order this evening!
(Pictures brought to you using my new Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone!)
The new heater is gas fired, will vent through the basement wall,
and will be fed from a 120 Gallon bottle of propane to be located behind our new shed.
Unfortunately the propane supply company will not be setting up the new tank until this Friday. So we wait until Friday for the final hookup, testing, and operation.
"They" claim that with this heater we will NEVER run out of hot water. Obviously "they" have never met my wife .... perhaps I should have the propane supply company bring a bigger bottle!
Today was Exercise Winne Day so I traveled over to Winne's storage location to start up her generator, exercise the A/C units, and run the hydraulic leveling system jacks up and down. But before that work could happen I had to hack my way through some really tall weeds (grass, hay, Whatever!).
There!! Much Better:
Motorhome storage in the winter has it's own issues - but summer storage requires a bit of maintenance as well!
Upon returning home from that chore Peggy informed me that our RVing buddies, Darrell and Judy Patterson would be arriving here in Topsham this afternoon - rather that tomorrow afternoon! Apparently they must have felt like one really long travel day today with a rest day tomorrow before moving on north to Belfast on Friday was a better idea than traveling for three days in a row. Regardless of their logic - it will be great to see them again. I believe an arrival day Maine seafood dinner will be in order this evening!
(Pictures brought to you using my new Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone!)
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
On Being Comfortable
Just about the time I get comfortable in my surroundings - stuff changes. In some cases change is good. Like the arrival of Sophie Ann on Saturday! In some cases change is not so good. Like dealing with the change in daylight savings time twice per year! In the two examples above I did nothing to bring the changes to happen. I just have to deal with them. But in many cases I bring these changes upon myself.
Yesterday was a good example.
Back in the olden days (6 years ago) when I worked for a living I carried a Blackberry "Smartphone" with me wherever I went. Those phones were only sorta smart. They could present you with your email, allow access to some stuff on the internet, and even make phone calls! When I gave up working full time I also gave up my Blackberry - a device I really have not missed. Ever since those days Peggy and I have both had "basic" cell phones. They could make calls, send a text message or two if you could figure out how, and even take a low resolution digital picture (usually of the inside of my trouser pocket). Life was "comfortable."
But then we thought we needed Aps. You know ... "Aps" ... those pieces of software that you can carry around with you on your handheld device that will greatly improve your everyday life. At first we thought "tablets" would fill the Aps void in our life. Last year we purchased our new gadgets - I went with the iPad and Peggy opted for the Nexus 7. Both machines work well. One requires you to learn all things Apple and the other requires a devotion to the Google Android world. In both cases - the machines were relatively easy to use and although neither of us used anywhere near the full capabilities of the gadget - we both enjoyed our new - somewhat non-tethered capabilities. I say "somewhat non-tethered" because both machines we purchased require a Wi-Fi connection to the internet to access much of their capability. Once we learned how to do what we wanted to do on these new gadgets - life was once again "comfortable."
That brings me back to yesterday when I decided (but Peggy was a willing co-conspirator) to purchase a couple of new smartphones for us to carry around. The young fella at the Verizon store must have thought he was in retail heaven when we walked in, fondled the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 for a few minutes, and then told him we wanted two new Samsung Galaxy S4's - complete with the accessory bundles (covers and car chargers) and new "Share Everything" plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and several gigabytes of shared data. About an hour and a fist full of cash later (much of it earned while working on that '40 Ford last month) we walked out with our new gadgets. We weren't sure how to make or answer a phone call -- but we had joined the Smartphone crowd!
So now we are no longer comfortable ... but we will be as soon as we figure out how to make and answer a call. Then we'll have to start playing with our new "Aps."
Yesterday was a good example.
Back in the olden days (6 years ago) when I worked for a living I carried a Blackberry "Smartphone" with me wherever I went. Those phones were only sorta smart. They could present you with your email, allow access to some stuff on the internet, and even make phone calls! When I gave up working full time I also gave up my Blackberry - a device I really have not missed. Ever since those days Peggy and I have both had "basic" cell phones. They could make calls, send a text message or two if you could figure out how, and even take a low resolution digital picture (usually of the inside of my trouser pocket). Life was "comfortable."
But then we thought we needed Aps. You know ... "Aps" ... those pieces of software that you can carry around with you on your handheld device that will greatly improve your everyday life. At first we thought "tablets" would fill the Aps void in our life. Last year we purchased our new gadgets - I went with the iPad and Peggy opted for the Nexus 7. Both machines work well. One requires you to learn all things Apple and the other requires a devotion to the Google Android world. In both cases - the machines were relatively easy to use and although neither of us used anywhere near the full capabilities of the gadget - we both enjoyed our new - somewhat non-tethered capabilities. I say "somewhat non-tethered" because both machines we purchased require a Wi-Fi connection to the internet to access much of their capability. Once we learned how to do what we wanted to do on these new gadgets - life was once again "comfortable."
That brings me back to yesterday when I decided (but Peggy was a willing co-conspirator) to purchase a couple of new smartphones for us to carry around. The young fella at the Verizon store must have thought he was in retail heaven when we walked in, fondled the iPhone 5 and the Samsung Galaxy S4 for a few minutes, and then told him we wanted two new Samsung Galaxy S4's - complete with the accessory bundles (covers and car chargers) and new "Share Everything" plan with unlimited talk, unlimited text, and several gigabytes of shared data. About an hour and a fist full of cash later (much of it earned while working on that '40 Ford last month) we walked out with our new gadgets. We weren't sure how to make or answer a phone call -- but we had joined the Smartphone crowd!
So now we are no longer comfortable ... but we will be as soon as we figure out how to make and answer a call. Then we'll have to start playing with our new "Aps."
Sunday, June 16, 2013
The Best Father's Day!
Our son Eric and his wife Jen welcomed their first child yesterday when Sophie Ann Evringham was born at 8:09 AM!
It certainly was a great day and a great gift. I know grandma and grandpa were pretty darn excited.
And so was Aunt Stacy ...
Even Taylor Ann was glad to see her new cousin!
Becoming parents is a big step you two!
But Sophie is fortunate to have you both!
Happy Fathers Day Eric!
And so was Aunt Stacy ...
Even Taylor Ann was glad to see her new cousin!
Becoming parents is a big step you two!
But Sophie is fortunate to have you both!
Happy Fathers Day Eric!
Tuesday, June 11, 2013
Waiting On Sophie
Eric and Jen showed up on Saturday morning to pick up their car from the MIM Auto Care Center. Since Jen has been pretty cooped up on her Doctor ordered bed rest routine - she was glad to get out of the house for a while and see what was happening in the world! Since not much was happening at our house we decided that Jen needed a trip to Fat Boy Drive-In to perk up her spirits. She seemed pretty cheery after a Fat Boy Whoper Burger Basket and a Root Beer! I think both she and Baby E (A.K.A "Sophie") enjoyed the trip. As for Peggy and I ... I think we both enjoyed our first trip to Fat Boy this summer!
Yesterday was a relatively nice day with rain forecast for today -- so Peggy and I decided to take the Chevelle out for an early afternoon cruise. We headed north on Route 1 to Wiscasset and stopped at the town dock for a bite to eat before continuing on. We thought about walking across the street to "Red's Eats" for one of their world famous lobster rolls, but we opted to try some of the fare at Spragues on the dock instead. Frank and Linda Sprague used to be the on-site food service providers at Maine Yankee during the decommissioning process, have catered traditional lobster bakes around the area for many years, and have been operating a snack shack on the Wiscasset dock now for several years. Peggy opted for the fish and chips while I had a bowl of Frank's clam chowder and a crabmeat roll. Eating seafood outdoors on the dock on a nice afternoon in Maine during a cruise up Route 1 in '65 Chevelle .... hard to beat that!
After our yummy lunch we continued our trip up Route 1, across the bridge to Edgecomb, and then turned off and headed to Boothbay Harbor. We made the loop, cruising through town and then started our return trip back home. The traffic in downtown Boothbay can get pretty bad in the summer months but it wasn't bad at all during our quick trip through town. I guess the tourists were still sleeping in!
That was yesterday. Today it has been raining all day so we are staying inside and doing inside stuff.
Staying inside today is OK with me. I have been pretty busy with "projects" these past several weeks and I suspect this next week may be pretty wild as well. So today we kick back and relax.
Come on Sophie ... Hurry Up .... Grandpa wants to play!
Yesterday was a relatively nice day with rain forecast for today -- so Peggy and I decided to take the Chevelle out for an early afternoon cruise. We headed north on Route 1 to Wiscasset and stopped at the town dock for a bite to eat before continuing on. We thought about walking across the street to "Red's Eats" for one of their world famous lobster rolls, but we opted to try some of the fare at Spragues on the dock instead. Frank and Linda Sprague used to be the on-site food service providers at Maine Yankee during the decommissioning process, have catered traditional lobster bakes around the area for many years, and have been operating a snack shack on the Wiscasset dock now for several years. Peggy opted for the fish and chips while I had a bowl of Frank's clam chowder and a crabmeat roll. Eating seafood outdoors on the dock on a nice afternoon in Maine during a cruise up Route 1 in '65 Chevelle .... hard to beat that!
After our yummy lunch we continued our trip up Route 1, across the bridge to Edgecomb, and then turned off and headed to Boothbay Harbor. We made the loop, cruising through town and then started our return trip back home. The traffic in downtown Boothbay can get pretty bad in the summer months but it wasn't bad at all during our quick trip through town. I guess the tourists were still sleeping in!
That was yesterday. Today it has been raining all day so we are staying inside and doing inside stuff.
Staying inside today is OK with me. I have been pretty busy with "projects" these past several weeks and I suspect this next week may be pretty wild as well. So today we kick back and relax.
Come on Sophie ... Hurry Up .... Grandpa wants to play!
Friday, June 7, 2013
On Father's Day
Good News! The heating guy showed up on Wednesday and we got the gas line installed, pressure tested, and the trench backfilled. I even managed to get some grass seed spread over the trench scar yesterday so the rains forecast over the next several days can get busy watering the new seed. My portion of that project is mostly complete so now we wait for a week or so before the heating guy returns to install the new water heater. Time to shift gears and move on to Something Else.
Something Else showed up this morning in the form of Eric's car which needs a new stabilizer bar link installed. That ought to keep me busy for a little while and may give me the incentive to replace the same links on the Vue. Those links tend to wear out and create noises in the front suspension over time and I believe ours have needed replacement for some time. And then there are the shock absorbers that need replacing on the truck. Never a dull moment here at the Maineiacs In Motion RV, Home Improvement, and Auto Center.
Now we find out that our government has been collecting information on our phone calls and internet usage in order to help keep us safe from terrorists. Part of me wants to be outraged over more loss of personal liberty. Another part of me is thankful that these actions are being taken to protect us. At least "providing for the common defense" is actually a constitutional duty of the federal government! I just wish I had more confidence in the folks that were running these programs. Will they do the right things with the info they gather or will they use the defense against terrorism to justify more politically based dirty tricks against political foes? I'd like to have more confidence ... but recent events sure don't justify it!
I see where Sunday next (June 16th) is Father's Day. I am very fortunate to have 3 great kids who are able to make good decisions and generally do what is best for them and their families. I don't want to take a lot of credit for them turning out that way as I'm sure their mother had a much greater influence than I. But I sure do notice that fatherhood has taken a beating these last many years. The women's "liberation" movement(s) have done a great deal to further the standing of women in the US and elsewhere for the past 40 or so years. But at what cost? Many (men and women) seem to believe that fathers are only necessary for conception and science is working to minimize this need. Need examples? Just watch TV. Ever notice how many commercials tend to show the bumbling Dad who knows almost nothing and needs mom or the kids to help him survive? I find this trend disturbing. I read recently that in about 40% of all American households with children - the mom is the primary "breadwinner." And in 40% of those households - the mom is a single parent. There are many reasons for this but in my humble opinion - it needs to stop and be reversed! So - with Father's Day rapidly approaching I say find a father (I mean a real father ... one committed to caring for his kids) and congratulate him. We apparently are a vanishing breed and must need encouraging to keep on doing "the right things."
Something Else showed up this morning in the form of Eric's car which needs a new stabilizer bar link installed. That ought to keep me busy for a little while and may give me the incentive to replace the same links on the Vue. Those links tend to wear out and create noises in the front suspension over time and I believe ours have needed replacement for some time. And then there are the shock absorbers that need replacing on the truck. Never a dull moment here at the Maineiacs In Motion RV, Home Improvement, and Auto Center.
Now we find out that our government has been collecting information on our phone calls and internet usage in order to help keep us safe from terrorists. Part of me wants to be outraged over more loss of personal liberty. Another part of me is thankful that these actions are being taken to protect us. At least "providing for the common defense" is actually a constitutional duty of the federal government! I just wish I had more confidence in the folks that were running these programs. Will they do the right things with the info they gather or will they use the defense against terrorism to justify more politically based dirty tricks against political foes? I'd like to have more confidence ... but recent events sure don't justify it!
I see where Sunday next (June 16th) is Father's Day. I am very fortunate to have 3 great kids who are able to make good decisions and generally do what is best for them and their families. I don't want to take a lot of credit for them turning out that way as I'm sure their mother had a much greater influence than I. But I sure do notice that fatherhood has taken a beating these last many years. The women's "liberation" movement(s) have done a great deal to further the standing of women in the US and elsewhere for the past 40 or so years. But at what cost? Many (men and women) seem to believe that fathers are only necessary for conception and science is working to minimize this need. Need examples? Just watch TV. Ever notice how many commercials tend to show the bumbling Dad who knows almost nothing and needs mom or the kids to help him survive? I find this trend disturbing. I read recently that in about 40% of all American households with children - the mom is the primary "breadwinner." And in 40% of those households - the mom is a single parent. There are many reasons for this but in my humble opinion - it needs to stop and be reversed! So - with Father's Day rapidly approaching I say find a father (I mean a real father ... one committed to caring for his kids) and congratulate him. We apparently are a vanishing breed and must need encouraging to keep on doing "the right things."
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
Groundhog Day
Today was Groundhog Day. No, not the one where we wonder if Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow, but rather, the one where we head off to Home Depot at oh-barely light-thirty and rent the gadget advertised as a "walk behind trencher" to dig a trench. First off - the "walk behind" part is a lie. The gadget I rented, the T-4 "Groundhog", is more of a "pull and dig" model. You set the depth for the digging chain, lower the chain into the ground, it digs down to the depth you set (max depth of 18" in my case), you push down on the handle and then pull the gadget toward you a little ways and lower the digging bar again to dig some more. It works pretty well when you are digging through relatively "clean" soil - but starts to buck and jump when you try cutting some of the monster tree roots located in my backyard!
So - the first 40 feet or so went relatively fast. The digger dug and deposited the spoils off to the side just as advertised. Then we started to hit the tree roots left behind by all those trees I cut down a few years ago. the digger chopped through the finger sized roots with little complaint. It had to work harder and bucked pretty hard when I hit the 1" diameter roots, and it gave up the ghost when I hit the arm sized monsters. All-in-all it took about an hour and a half to do the 60 feet or so that I had to do. Then it was time to dig out the tree pruner and the chain saw to cut through the big roots that the Groundhog couldn't handle and then supplement the last 20 feet or so with a hefty amount of hand digging.
The good news -- I was able to return the rental unit in less than 4 hours to keep the cost down and I think I'm done and ready for the heating guy to lay the gas piping. The bad news -- I still have a bunch of sore muscles in spite of renting the Groundhog. I know it was a lot easier than hand digging the whole 60 feet .... but it was not necessarily "easy." Sorry - no pictures of the Groundhog in action. I was busy digging and Peggy was busy planting flowers.
So now I wait. Hopefully the heating guy can get over here soon to lay and pressure test the underground piping so I can backfill the trench and get some grass growing in the scar.
Other than that -- not much exciting happening around here. The weather has turned nice again as the highs now are only in the 70s and the humidity is much lower.
Time to put away the tools and start enjoying the summah.
But I sure hope the heating guy gets over here pretty soon so I can get back to work!
So - the first 40 feet or so went relatively fast. The digger dug and deposited the spoils off to the side just as advertised. Then we started to hit the tree roots left behind by all those trees I cut down a few years ago. the digger chopped through the finger sized roots with little complaint. It had to work harder and bucked pretty hard when I hit the 1" diameter roots, and it gave up the ghost when I hit the arm sized monsters. All-in-all it took about an hour and a half to do the 60 feet or so that I had to do. Then it was time to dig out the tree pruner and the chain saw to cut through the big roots that the Groundhog couldn't handle and then supplement the last 20 feet or so with a hefty amount of hand digging.
The good news -- I was able to return the rental unit in less than 4 hours to keep the cost down and I think I'm done and ready for the heating guy to lay the gas piping. The bad news -- I still have a bunch of sore muscles in spite of renting the Groundhog. I know it was a lot easier than hand digging the whole 60 feet .... but it was not necessarily "easy." Sorry - no pictures of the Groundhog in action. I was busy digging and Peggy was busy planting flowers.
So now I wait. Hopefully the heating guy can get over here soon to lay and pressure test the underground piping so I can backfill the trench and get some grass growing in the scar.
Other than that -- not much exciting happening around here. The weather has turned nice again as the highs now are only in the 70s and the humidity is much lower.
Time to put away the tools and start enjoying the summah.
But I sure hope the heating guy gets over here pretty soon so I can get back to work!
Saturday, June 1, 2013
It must be Summah!
What the heck happened? Only a few days ago we were complaining about the cool weather and rain. Then the heat wave arrived a couple of days ago and it has been in the high 80s to maybe a little over 90 degrees with really high humidity. We have swapped over to summer shirts, shorts, and sandals around here! I even installed the living room air conditioner yesterday and it has been running since about 11 AM. We are supposed to be getting some thunderstorms tonight and maybe tomorrow. After that front moves through it looks like we will get back to more seasonal temps with highs in the 70s.
The garage improvement project is essentially done now that I have moved the "stuff" I wanted from the garage to the Back Room and installed a couple of shelves. I still need to add a couple of electrical outlets and perhaps a new light into the Back Room. That project must be done since I spent this morning hauling all the left over construction debris to the local Solid Waste Facility (A.K.A. The Dump).
We got a start on Peggy's next project today with yet another trip to Home Depot. Not for lumber or hardware this time ... but we hit up the flower and garden center pretty hard. Now all she has to do is plant all those annuals and feed and water. We even picked up a few tomato plants to spend the next few months nurturing. A few summers ago we did pretty well growing tomatoes in our Topsy Turvey upside down tomato planter. But this year I think we will go with the right side up method.
I also got a start on my next project. We decided to go ahead with our hot water heater replacement by installing a Rennai Tankless On-Demand Water Heater. Actually, a local heating contractor will be doing the installation but I have some prep work to accomplish first. Yesterday I reorganized some stuff in the basement to clear up the wall space where the heater will be mounted and I ran some wiring over to that area for the heater controls. The new heater will be fueled by propane (until somebody decides to run natural gas down my street!) but needs a few amps of power for the controls and gas ignitor. Since we really didn't want an ugly propane tank sitting next to the house I've decided to place the tank behind the new shed. This will require placing the gas supply line underground - a distance of about 60 feet. To save a few bucks I will be digging the trench for the gas line sometime next week when it cools off a bit. Actually, I sorta lied again. I should have said that I will be renting a portable trenching machine that I will guide along for those 60 feet. I'm sure there will be some sweat involved but it has to be better than using a shovel. Doesn't it?
All of this project work will be accomplished while awaiting our new grand daughter. Eric and Jen just finished up week 37 and everything is still looking good. It won't be long now!
I'm reading where all our RVing buddies are on-the-move. D&J are just about ready to roll out of 'Bama for points north, Randy and Terry Guiler are heading north from Florida, several folks we know are heading for the big Escapees organization rally (The "Escapade") in Wyoming, and I suspect the Curps are getting ready to head west to Colorado soon. Safe Travels everybody!
The garage improvement project is essentially done now that I have moved the "stuff" I wanted from the garage to the Back Room and installed a couple of shelves. I still need to add a couple of electrical outlets and perhaps a new light into the Back Room. That project must be done since I spent this morning hauling all the left over construction debris to the local Solid Waste Facility (A.K.A. The Dump).
We got a start on Peggy's next project today with yet another trip to Home Depot. Not for lumber or hardware this time ... but we hit up the flower and garden center pretty hard. Now all she has to do is plant all those annuals and feed and water. We even picked up a few tomato plants to spend the next few months nurturing. A few summers ago we did pretty well growing tomatoes in our Topsy Turvey upside down tomato planter. But this year I think we will go with the right side up method.
I also got a start on my next project. We decided to go ahead with our hot water heater replacement by installing a Rennai Tankless On-Demand Water Heater. Actually, a local heating contractor will be doing the installation but I have some prep work to accomplish first. Yesterday I reorganized some stuff in the basement to clear up the wall space where the heater will be mounted and I ran some wiring over to that area for the heater controls. The new heater will be fueled by propane (until somebody decides to run natural gas down my street!) but needs a few amps of power for the controls and gas ignitor. Since we really didn't want an ugly propane tank sitting next to the house I've decided to place the tank behind the new shed. This will require placing the gas supply line underground - a distance of about 60 feet. To save a few bucks I will be digging the trench for the gas line sometime next week when it cools off a bit. Actually, I sorta lied again. I should have said that I will be renting a portable trenching machine that I will guide along for those 60 feet. I'm sure there will be some sweat involved but it has to be better than using a shovel. Doesn't it?
All of this project work will be accomplished while awaiting our new grand daughter. Eric and Jen just finished up week 37 and everything is still looking good. It won't be long now!
I'm reading where all our RVing buddies are on-the-move. D&J are just about ready to roll out of 'Bama for points north, Randy and Terry Guiler are heading north from Florida, several folks we know are heading for the big Escapees organization rally (The "Escapade") in Wyoming, and I suspect the Curps are getting ready to head west to Colorado soon. Safe Travels everybody!
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