Tantivy

I want to thank all of you (few) who have responded or commented on this blog.  You might not realize but comments and responses are what drive bloggers. Knowing that someone read that post you just labored over and that it didn't just wing its way into the ether encourages another post. Well, enough of that. Things here are moving along, albeit slowly. Haircuts, errands, vacuuming, drawing, the library - all the same things. So what is different? Well, the trim is going up on the windows and doors. Since this old-fashioned stuff isn't made now, each piece has to be passed through the router to curve the edges - sometimes both top and bottom- and that takes a lot of time. It looks good, though, when it is in place. Here is an old window Here is a new one The corner of the laundry area.  The back door The backyard woodshop.  Check out Chris West's blog about Out of Africa  here . Out of Africa is one of my favorite films. I love the beaut...

I have some cabinets. I have some window sills. I have a little coffee place. I have a back door.None of these are quite finished but they are at least partially usable and wonderful. I am doing the happy dance.  The back door has no hardware and hasn't been painted but it is solid and has a window. You might remember that Jackson had nearly demolished the other one.  The window sills are deep enough to put a little plant on. Maybe I can grow some herbs. Not Rosemary but something small would work My coffee center doesn't have doors yet (they had to be remade), and it will have a drawer, but I can make coffee there in the morning. Okay, Dean can make coffee there in the morning and bring me some. We still don't have running water in the kitchen so we are buying water by the jug to drink.  Here is our usable sink. It is used to get water for washing dishes, washing faces, washing/brushing teeth, washing paint brushes, wetting cleaning cloths...you name i...

Tonight Dean and I are getting ready to move the refrigerator into the kitchen! The kitchen is not ready, but the place for the refrigerator is and it can be hooked up to water and we can have ice on demand! We have been going over to the church kitchen and bringing home a container full to pour into the dispenser of the ice maker. Our bottom freezer is full and has no room for ice trays even if we went out and bought some. So here is Dean, cleaning out the coil. He managed, as seems to be usual to cut his hand so we had to take time out for first aid - a good wash with soap and water followed by antibiotic cream and a bandaid on top of which I put a bandage so he would not just twist it off in the business at hand. Here is the refrigerator's new home. We just pushed the frig into the kitchen and it was not easy at all. I am out of breath and thinking that I will be sore tomorrow! Of course it would have been easier if the frig had been empty but there is no place to put ...

I wish that I had taken pictures all day yesterday but.. Dean left the house at about 5:45. I was asleep. I woke and looked at the clock - 10:45! Oh dear! the cabinets are supposed to be coming. A few blinks and another look at the clock showed it was 8:45. Whew! Phone Rings: It is Vicki. V: Can you come over? My rainbird won't stop and I have to go do an observation. (see her blog) C: (groggily) what is a Rain Bird? V: The irrigation system. It has been running all night and won't stop. I put on yesterday's clothes and get in the car. The fuel light is on. 5 Miles range it says. Okay,, Vicki is half mile away. The sprinkler at her house is spraying right where I have to go through the wet bushes to get to it. I try, leaning in against the house and supporting myself with one arm until my arm begins to quiver, everything I can think of to make it stop. Finally, I give up. Vicki calls the guy who installed it. When I get home I have 2 miles range according to i...

No Joy in the Berk house tonight - no cabinets either. We hope that they will be here this week; then we can order countertops. I have decided that I will go for the Virginia soapstone that I first wanted. Soapstone has so many good qualities and the only drawback is that it can be scratched. The scratches can be sanded out or oiled and just aren't that big a deal. I will buy some new cutting boards and be sure that "Chef Dean" knows where they are kept. Meanwhile, Dean has fixed this annoying thing. We have had this extension cord running from the washer and dryer out the window and then to the basement for far too long. I  couldn't close the window and the house was full of flying insects of various kinds and sizes. Now we have places to plug them into the wall, just like other people. They put the outlets about countertop level so that other things could be plugged in if necessary.There will be cabinets above; since the appliances can't be pushed all the ...

It is finally getting toward the end of the construction. Unfortunately, I am getting toward the end of my last good nerve! Not really, but as finishing draws closer I want things done NOW, and there is still quite a bit to do. With that in mind, here is an update.  The flooring has been installed.  The walls have been painted the lightest, pretty pink We have been looking at countertops again. This is an African soapstone that is absolutely fantastic, but I am not sure that it wouldn't just overpower the rest of the room. (This photo looks a little greener than the actual piece.) I might go with regular grey soapstone but this is really a wonderful piece of stone that, when seen larger, gives me an arts and crafts vibe.  We are going to wait until the cabinets are installed to make a decision; that should happen later this week.  Here are some little pieces that I made at the paper workshop Vicki and I attended last weekend. Do you recognize me? My ...

We are providing our neighbors, bless their hearts, with a lovely view. This is the pile of ductwork and related stuff from the old A/C. At least it is a neat pile. More or less.   At the far edge of the yard, where no one can see, is a hosta that did not get stepped on just blooming its heart out to add a little beauty and civilization into the pigpen the back yard (garden?) has become.   Now this is a poke weed, but even it is trying to add a little beauty.   Meanwhile, this pile of supplies, not trash, just about has me blocked out of the studio.   I thought that you might appreciate this cool lock. It appears to be locked , and  there is even a place for a key, which we don't have.   but if you twist it  and pull back on it, it opens, giving access to the dark spiderwebby stairway. I will be so glad when we can work on this project  Here is how my pour ended the day. What do you th...