COLD DARK ROOM

[Lyn W]

I drove over the Bay Bridge this morning at 3:30 in the morning and all you could see from it in Baltimore where what used to be the Scott Key bridge was a big glow in the sky where they are trying to refloat the ship that crashed in and took down the bridge. Normally on a clear day, you could see the Scott Key bridge from just after the peak of the Bay Bridge.....not anymore, just the glow of worklights.
It was Eerie to see and know what was going on. South of the bridge there were 16 ships lined up, lights ablaze in the dark to come into the newly opened harbor.

I came over to hear to wait for my concrete guy who's going to resurface my driveway walk and porch. On an up note, three of the six houses listed two blocks for me had sold. Kerry and I decided that the advice we get from my financial guys this Friday notwithstanding, we will likely be ready to go to market by next week.

There is a hummingbird hovering two feet from my face right now is she decides whether to go to the feeder or not! LOL

We haven't heard anything about the bridge lately, so it's interesting to hear how they're coping without it. I didn't realise the ship was still there. Must be quite a detour for road traffic to make without the bridge.

I suppose you have to weigh up the pros and cons re the house sale v rent, but I hope you reach a decision you're happy with.

We don't have hummingbirds - must be lovely to have your fevered brow fanned by the wings of one. 😊
My garden feeders are always busy with pretty but less exotic birds.

 

[jeff kushner]

The Bridge was kind of a part of our lives....someone in the family crossed it everyday. Now it's "leave 20 min earlier for the nearby tunnel". They moved the ship...saw the noon News.

Well, seeing half the homes sell last week gave me renewed faith. I do not want to rent it....I'd rather sell at a lower price.

I have always loved the little humming birds, we had them in Ann Arbor when I was a child. They will get right up 1/2 meter from your face, for 10 seconds...pretty neat.

I sure would like to catch a Hedgehog though, how cool are those little munchkins!

The last of my "neglect" sins...soon to be "new". Of course it looks worse now that he prepped it....but not much. I admit, I "neglected" but it kept my assessment very low! Hey, it takes super-tunnel vision to not have even seen this mess in 15 yrs.


at least I admit my sins.....and apparently, contrary to what I was taught, these very much IS a cost associated with each sin! LMAO

I know this has to be the last of my sins/projects....I told Kerry that I'm broke now.....all done. Wedding, rings, moving, repairs, contractors, windows, painting, dumpster.....the fountain of that account now runnith dryith.

That's how I know that I'm done spending! LOL

Now, we just have to button up stuff already purchased like the new frostproof hose bibs outdoors and to get it clean!

2 weeks.....

maybe

 

[Cathie G]

I drove over the Bay Bridge this morning at 3:30 in the morning and all you could see from it in Baltimore where what used to be the Scott Key bridge was a big glow in the sky where they are trying to refloat the ship that crashed in and took down the bridge. Normally on a clear day, you could see the Scott Key bridge from just after the peak of the Bay Bridge.....not anymore, just the glow of worklights.
It was Eerie to see and know what was going on. South of the bridge there were 16 ships lined up, lights ablaze in the dark to come into the newly opened harbor.

I came over to hear to wait for my concrete guy who's going to resurface my driveway walk and porch. On an up note, three of the six houses listed two blocks for me had sold. Kerry and I decided that the advice we get from my financial guys this Friday notwithstanding, we will likely be ready to go to market by next week.

There is a hummingbird hovering two feet from my face right now is she decides whether to go to the feeder or not! LOL

I haven't seen a single hummingbird yet. I usually only get a couple but I do get them. Not so far this year though. I figure I will get them when the Rose of Sharon blooms though.😊

 

[jeff kushner]

That's a shame, you usually get several for the duration of the summer.

Kerry just called....she walked up on a new Mom and Fawn born right next to my shed over at the Nook! Here is Mama...baby or babies are hiding under her.

She couldn't get a good pic with her iPhone so she used the Sony and took a picture of the screen! Lol....thats my girl!

 

[jeff kushner]

I just watched this Hawk land on my fence on top of the squirrel and begin eating it...

Kerry watches of Fawn born and I watch a squirrel die, all within moments of each other, 60 miles apart

 

[Cathie G]

That's a shame, you usually get several for the duration of the summer.

Kerry just called....she walked up on a new Mom and Fawn born right next to my shed over at the Nook! Here is Mama...baby or babies are hiding under her.
View attachment 370876
She couldn't get a good pic with her iPhone so she used the Sony and took a picture of the screen! Lol....thats my girl!

Very good 👍

 

[Ray--Opo]

What did the drummer name his twin daughter's?

Anna 1 Anna 2🤣🤣

 

[jeff kushner]

two fawns were spotted.....and Ray still needs help....of the professional nature.....

LOL

 

[jeff kushner]

Sins forgiven

They did it the right way too...prepare, cut, patch, level, top....3 guys.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Sins forgiven
View attachment 370941
They did it the right way too...prepare, cut, patch, level, top....3 guys.

Looks great 👍

 

[jeff kushner]

Looks great 👍

Thanks Ray. I got really lucky. Around here a lot of folks replace their old broken concrete driveways with asphalt because of the cost to replace/repair concrete.

When I moved in 17 yrs ago, the cost to replace was $8K so I patched it, kinda. I priced the replace cost today...12-$14,000...yikes!

My total cost was $2,400 for what they did. I gave each of the two other workers(not the boss) a "Benjamin" tip. They were like Service Pro...."like it never even happened" with their cleanup. They didn't even use my trash cans! So 2600 all-in.....not bad at all.

My beautiful wife's insight;

"You'll want to block the driveway"
"I did"
"With what?"
"The expedition"
"What's that?"
"A truck"

oops! LOL

Pro Tip; Always hire undocumented workers...............they haven't priced themselves out of work, they show up, work hard and never want any trouble..........and as you see, the talent is there! & ALWAYS pay in cash and don't be so dang tight, tip heavily for good work!

Nothing rewards hard work like a wad of cash in hand at the end of the day to a worker.

Please don't waste time being mad at me, I didn't build this mess but I will work with what others have built.

Don't think this is true? I was a Union contractor for my entire career.......I know how good and how bad they can be, trust me. For private work they will take their 50% down and disappear for weeks or forever.

ALL of my guys text me even if they are just going to be late. I don't require this, they all do it though. I told you, I got good "guys", right?


Now let the fact that I have NEVER had any issue with any of my contractors here, sink in. When something isn't right, they race out to fix it, like my floor guy yesterday....the laminate he laid in the basement last March(after the bsmt flood) is too tight and is buckling. No fuss, no muss...I texted him, he came and will fix.

When my concrete guy showed up on Monday, I handed him $1,200..and had faith that he would return.

Faith was rewarded.

 

[jeff kushner]

It stinks waking at midnight.................not like I really feel like washing windows or hanging the cheapo doors.

Speaking of doors....
This house has all solid wood doors and is one of the reasons this is the quietest home I've ever owned..

Our other home has cheapo doors....hollow drums.

Kerry decided that she wanted the good doors at the other home. I was reticent since I knew the value and didn't want to "cheapen" this home before we sell it. So we agreed.....if the Real Estate agent noticed the solid doors, we would leave them. She came in and opened two bedroom doors in a row, one had been already been replaced with a cheapo.

She didn't notice....

These are Kerry's doors.....to be swapped.

LMAO...she is so cheap!

 

[Lyn W]

I just watched this Hawk land on my fence on top of the squirrel and begin eating it...
View attachment 370881
Kerry watches of Fawn born and I watch a squirrel die, all within moments of each other, 60 miles apart

Sad, but everything has to eat. Circle of life.

 

[Lyn W]

What did the drummer name his twin daughter's?

Anna 1 Anna 2🤣🤣

Funnily enough my brother's friend is a drummer and he has a daughter called Anna - I'll be sending him that.😂

 

[Lyn W]

Thanks Ray. I got really lucky. Around here a lot of folks replace their old broken concrete driveways with asphalt because of the cost to replace/repair concrete.

When I moved in 17 yrs ago, the cost to replace was $8K so I patched it, kinda. I priced the replace cost today...12-$14,000...yikes!

My total cost was $2,400 for what they did. I gave each of the two other workers(not the boss) a "Benjamin" tip. They were like Service Pro...."like it never even happened" with their cleanup. They didn't even use my trash cans! So 2600 all-in.....not bad at all.

My beautiful wife's insight;

"You'll want to block the driveway"
"I did"
"With what?"
"The expedition"
"What's that?"
"A truck"

oops! LOL

Pro Tip; Always hire undocumented workers...............they haven't priced themselves out of work, they show up, work hard and never want any trouble..........and as you see, the talent is there! & ALWAYS pay in cash and don't be so dang tight, tip heavily for good work!

Nothing rewards hard work like a wad of cash in hand at the end of the day to a worker.

Please don't waste time being mad at me, I didn't build this mess but I will work with what others have built.

Don't think this is true? I was a Union contractor for my entire career.......I know how good and how bad they can be, trust me. For private work they will take their 50% down and disappear for weeks or forever.

ALL of my guys text me even if they are just going to be late. I don't require this, they all do it though. I told you, I got good "guys", right?


Now let the fact that I have NEVER had any issue with any of my contractors here, sink in. When something isn't right, they race out to fix it, like my floor guy yesterday....the laminate he laid in the basement last March(after the bsmt flood) is too tight and is buckling. No fuss, no muss...I texted him, he came and will fix.

When my concrete guy showed up on Monday, I handed him $1,200..and had faith that he would return.

Faith was rewarded.

You are lucky. In the UK we have more cowboys than the wild West! Very hard to find trustworthy tradesmen here 😞

 

[Ray--Opo]

Thanks Ray. I got really lucky. Around here a lot of folks replace their old broken concrete driveways with asphalt because of the cost to replace/repair concrete.

When I moved in 17 yrs ago, the cost to replace was $8K so I patched it, kinda. I priced the replace cost today...12-$14,000...yikes!

My total cost was $2,400 for what they did. I gave each of the two other workers(not the boss) a "Benjamin" tip. They were like Service Pro...."like it never even happened" with their cleanup. They didn't even use my trash cans! So 2600 all-in.....not bad at all.

My beautiful wife's insight;

"You'll want to block the driveway"
"I did"
"With what?"
"The expedition"
"What's that?"
"A truck"

oops! LOL

Pro Tip; Always hire undocumented workers...............they haven't priced themselves out of work, they show up, work hard and never want any trouble..........and as you see, the talent is there! & ALWAYS pay in cash and don't be so dang tight, tip heavily for good work!

Nothing rewards hard work like a wad of cash in hand at the end of the day to a worker.

Please don't waste time being mad at me, I didn't build this mess but I will work with what others have built.

Don't think this is true? I was a Union contractor for my entire career.......I know how good and how bad they can be, trust me. For private work they will take their 50% down and disappear for weeks or forever.

ALL of my guys text me even if they are just going to be late. I don't require this, they all do it though. I told you, I got good "guys", right?


Now let the fact that I have NEVER had any issue with any of my contractors here, sink in. When something isn't right, they race out to fix it, like my floor guy yesterday....the laminate he laid in the basement last March(after the bsmt flood) is too tight and is buckling. No fuss, no muss...I texted him, he came and will fix.

When my concrete guy showed up on Monday, I handed him $1,200..and had faith that he would return.

Faith was rewarded.

I always like the look on the workers face when you hand them a tip.
They usually say, you don't have to do that.
I explain to them I was a union guy all my life. And that's what we do. Living in a anti-union state. It is my way of promoting the union. Probably won't help change minds, but I know they appreciate it. It also gives me a good feeling.

 

[Ray--Opo]

It stinks waking at midnight.................not like I really feel like washing windows or hanging the cheapo doors.

Speaking of doors....View attachment 370942
This house has all solid wood doors and is one of the reasons this is the quietest home I've ever owned..

Our other home has cheapo doors....hollow drums.

Kerry decided that she wanted the good doors at the other home. I was reticent since I knew the value and didn't want to "cheapen" this home before we sell it. So we agreed.....if the Real Estate agent noticed the solid doors, we would leave them. She came in and opened two bedroom doors in a row, one had been already been replaced with a cheapo.

She didn't notice....
View attachment 370943
These are Kerry's doors.....to be swapped.

LMAO...she is so cheap!

Hopefully those hollow doors aren't warped. If so close the door and just tap the door stops flush with the door.

 

[Ray--Opo]

I am reading a book about antigravity.
I am having a hard time to put it down.?????

 

[jeff kushner]

Hopefully those hollow doors aren't warped. If so close the door and just tap the door stops flush with the door.

So far so good but they don't fit right....tight here, loose there. I am NOT a carpenter, heck I'm not even someone who knows what they are doing with wood. LOL It's generally a cluster when I try. I hung 4 of 6 last night, they all need the top hinge recessed it it's new location for those doors. The others need the hinges reversed. I'm not touching, I'll mess it up! Darrin looked at it yesterday along with rehanging my front door with new bronze coil and a couple other nagging projects. When he comes to fix the floor, he will knock these things out for me.

I think I'm done for a while today....I even ate 1/2 cheesesteak sub!! I got a receptacle relocated, the basement window-greenhouse cleaned out and washed. The register not giving air was removed and problem located but not yet solved, painted the deck spots of "plastic wood repair", removed rest of things from rear-most room, solved but not implemented a ductwork fix downstairs.....and tried to feed a lizard.....no, they don't like chicken!

Frankly, I'm going to "relax" & wait for Kerry to call in a bit....I'm tired.

 

[Ray--Opo]

Did you hear about a kidnapping at a school?
Everything is fine, he woke up!