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| Why would anyone not want to live here? |
Life on the coast
Meanwhile, Janice is going gangbusters, replanting some areas that she had landscaped last fall but that did not survive our 8 month absence. We had to re-think our approach here regarding that subject. It is hard to believe but over the years I buried over a half mile (1 km) of water and electrical pipe and tubing, crisscrossing the entire property. It is now questionable if it will ever be used. Meanwhile, we have become big fans of walk on redwood bark as it is not only attractive but covers a multitude of landscaping sins. We are in the process of spreading the 23 pickup truck loads -a mere 275 wheel barrow's worth- we got for the immediate 5000 sf (460 sq m) around the house.
Anyway, we are in the process of trying to make the immediate area around the house more palatable. Notice I am not saying great, just acceptable. After all, we are catching up with a 9 year absence so 'acceptable' would be huge. We hope that when we return next year we will have the time and money to kick things up a notch. While we did get the vast majority of the interior of the house up and running to our satisfaction last fall, we still had a few loose ends. Like replacing a 30 year old oven. I mean pleeeease... Sure it looked OK, but it was time for it to go. Ditto for the redwood hot tub. It served us well but it was time for it to go push up daisies. Finally, we got a new garage door to replace the one that had given its all.
It's been said that it is a woman's prerogative to change her mind. Well, I am no woman but in a concession to my softer side, I have changed mine. In spite of my planning to re-roof the house myself, we decided to get bids just to cover all our bases. When all was said and done, we determined that while obviously more expensive than if I did it myself, it was not nearly enough more to make doing the task worthwhile. The fellas have equipment that would be expensive for me to rent (a 30 foot [10 M] remotely operated articulated boom [think cherry picker] kinda looking thing). Besides, the real issue is that if it is not installed by one of their certified 'experts' the warrantee is void. Bah, humbug!
This will allow many more secondary projects to move forward which would have been impossible had I spent the entire time here on the one task. To prevent me from going squishy on you, I will re-roof my workshop myself...a mere 1000 square feet [ 92 sm]
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| How do you re-do the flashing on a 12' [4 m] skylight? Simple! You remove the 165 screws, disassemble the pieces, chemically strip the paint, etch the metal, prime, add 3 coats of paint and reinstall and caulk. Piece of cake. |
Meanwhile, Janice is going gangbusters, replanting some areas that she had landscaped last fall but that did not survive our 8 month absence. We had to re-think our approach here regarding that subject. It is hard to believe but over the years I buried over a half mile (1 km) of water and electrical pipe and tubing, crisscrossing the entire property. It is now questionable if it will ever be used. Meanwhile, we have become big fans of walk on redwood bark as it is not only attractive but covers a multitude of landscaping sins. We are in the process of spreading the 23 pickup truck loads -a mere 275 wheel barrow's worth- we got for the immediate 5000 sf (460 sq m) around the house.
Years ago, we set in motion all kinds of plans to landscape most of our 3 acre property (1 hectare +), with visions of another Golden Gate Park. At the time, we had no idea that we would eventually be spending 4 months a year lollygagging around in Europe and 4 months on the East coast. We thought that we would retire and spend our days here working on the property like good little worker bee's till we dropped .
Abject poverty precludes our having a year round chef, driver, towel boy or landscaper, so we simply have to resign ourselves to the fact that we can't put a timer on to water plants and walk away from it for 8 months. These things need maintenance and supervision and we are not here to provide it.
Abject poverty precludes our having a year round chef, driver, towel boy or landscaper, so we simply have to resign ourselves to the fact that we can't put a timer on to water plants and walk away from it for 8 months. These things need maintenance and supervision and we are not here to provide it.
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| The landscaping goddess |
Anyway, we are in the process of trying to make the immediate area around the house more palatable. Notice I am not saying great, just acceptable. After all, we are catching up with a 9 year absence so 'acceptable' would be huge. We hope that when we return next year we will have the time and money to kick things up a notch. While we did get the vast majority of the interior of the house up and running to our satisfaction last fall, we still had a few loose ends. Like replacing a 30 year old oven. I mean pleeeease... Sure it looked OK, but it was time for it to go. Ditto for the redwood hot tub. It served us well but it was time for it to go push up daisies. Finally, we got a new garage door to replace the one that had given its all.
Then there are the little details like the fact that I ran out of time last year to finish the Travertine flooring in a hall closet and the laundry room. One down, one on the current schedule for those two. Surprisingly, to me at least, is how much darn time I have spent cleaning out..eh...junk.
Last month I mentioned that I had cleared a bunch of stuff out of my workshop. Since then, I have gone in all directions all over the property, going through little stashes here and there, finding bone piles of odds and ends. I soon realized that I was on the verge of having to check myself in for anti-hoarding therapy. Instead, we threw out a staggering amount, donated hoards of stuff to Goodwill and sold some on Craigslist.
In fact, I put so much stuff up for sale that had there been any kids or small animals around, they would have gone too. Then, we put aside a pickup load to take to some of our kids we will visit before Christmas. Finally, I put gathered enough magic props to take up for my 13 year old budding magician granddaughter Maddie to do a half hour show at kids birthday parties.
In fact, I put so much stuff up for sale that had there been any kids or small animals around, they would have gone too. Then, we put aside a pickup load to take to some of our kids we will visit before Christmas. Finally, I put gathered enough magic props to take up for my 13 year old budding magician granddaughter Maddie to do a half hour show at kids birthday parties.
I will not disclose how much time I worked on all of this out of fear that it would give you a clue as to the quantity of junk there was to dispose of. Suffice it to say that had my kids shown up to clean up after dear old dad augured his plane in, the emotional response would be hard to reflect in print. It would have surely involved a lot of swearing and vein popping fury. Hare Krishna's name would have been mentioned loudly and often.
Relax kids, its all been cleaned up.
Speaking of kids, we just got back from a whirlwind trip to Los Angeles to meet up with daughter Kami who flew in from her new home in New Orleans. The purpose of her trip was to gather her remaining furniture and belongings to have them shipped by truck. We provided our pick up truck, a moving dollie, manual labor and moral support. Always great to see the kid.
Speaking of kids, we just got back from a whirlwind trip to Los Angeles to meet up with daughter Kami who flew in from her new home in New Orleans. The purpose of her trip was to gather her remaining furniture and belongings to have them shipped by truck. We provided our pick up truck, a moving dollie, manual labor and moral support. Always great to see the kid.
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| Movie magic |
Kami is working in the film industry in New Orleans as she was in Los Angeles. While packing, she disposed of some things she was not taking with her and I found the items seen above. While we do all we can to get rid of cobwebs, she has cans of the stuff to create the right atmosphere. As for the can of "dirt spray", I wondered if that is what the fellas in the joint meant when they said they missed dirty movies :-)
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Is that you, NSA?
Several yeas ago, I mentioned that while I don't track who reads our little newsletter, I have on rare occasion taken a peek to see if both of you open it at least. This blog service offers statistics on all kinds of stuff if you are interested, especially if you were trying to make money at it. (Ha, ha, ha!) I have noted that friends and family in 9 countries are, in some cases unwittingly, recipients of our newsletter but over the past months a new country was added. Someone is receiving our blog where I adamantly claim to know no one. Russia.
With all the talk lately about the NSA (No Such Agency) spying on phone calls, e-mails and all manner of communications I want them to read that I LOVE President Obama, all Democrats and I am a fervent supporter of Obamacare and the whole Liberal agenda...eh...including welfare, all entitlement programs, income redistribution, food stamps, give a way's of all stripes and all the other great ideas and stuff that come out of that brilliant think tank that is the White House. And about those comments I was wont to make from time to time? Well, they were just a figure of speech...eh... like a manner of speaking, sort of. You know, lighthearted commentary. Right?
OK guys? Ah c'mon, don't raise my taxes again.....please!!
On the other hand, if this is the KGB that is monitoring my stuff...please note that as seen below, it has been reported below that I died. So make like Michael Jackson and just "Beat it".
I am not sure I like how my namesake is being represented online. Further research showed a surprising number of pictures I did recognize, including of Janice that have appeared in one format or another (the blog, our web sites and various media articles) with my name being associated with them. It is said that you only get one chance at making a first impression. If anyone stumbles on the pics above, I'm toast.
By the way, if you are not in California and can take pictures of clouds or the rain, be sure to send us some. We would hate to forget what they look like :-)
The holy grail of shipwrecks was within Michael LaPrade’s grasp when he vanished.
As he drifted 25 feet above the skeletal remains of the ship, buffeted by icy currents, LaPrade let go of the rope that anchored him and two other divers to the surface 20 stories above.“They turned around, and he was gone,’’ Edward V. Ecker Jr., chief of the Police Department, said yesterday. “Just all of a sudden.’’ Fellow divers found LaPrade’s body Sunday afternoon on the ocean floor near the wreck, three hours after he disappeared, officials said, and took it to shore. The cause of death is under investigation.
OK, so the reports of my death are a little premature. Still, it was unnerving to follow a suggestion to Google up my own name. Not being rich or famous, there could be nothing there, right? Yikes! The first link was to a report on the death of...well...me! Or someone with the same name as me. Curious, I switched to images to see what pictures there could possibly be of Michael Laprade and found this.
I am not sure I like how my namesake is being represented online. Further research showed a surprising number of pictures I did recognize, including of Janice that have appeared in one format or another (the blog, our web sites and various media articles) with my name being associated with them. It is said that you only get one chance at making a first impression. If anyone stumbles on the pics above, I'm toast.
Gum alley
Many towns have some unique off
the wall little known feature. Some have weird things like the largest ball of
twine in the world or the largest frying pan. Our town of San Luis Obispo has
…eh… gum. No, not the largest wad of gum but two full walls of it.
Bubble Gum alley is located right
off the main street (Higuerra) going through the center of town. A narrow alley
with walls 15 feet high (5M) and 70 feet long (22M), they are literally
plastered from bottom to top with every variety and color of chewing gum known
to man. One story is that it was started as a rivalry between schools, others
say it was a high school graduation stunt.
Much to the delight – and
disgust - of locals it is mostly regarded for what it is- a fun, silly tradition
that draws attention from people all over the world. It has appeared on several
nationwide television programs and is seen as a good luck charm for area sports
teams. It is also a favorite for those wanting to express their love and
affection to their mates, similar to carving your initials in a tree.
Some places have to be seen to be
believed. Gum alley is one of them.
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| Hey! I resemble that remark! |
By the way, if you are not in California and can take pictures of clouds or the rain, be sure to send us some. We would hate to forget what they look like :-)
