This wedding was performed using my plane as the backdrop in the airport hangar where it is stored in Canada. I am not sure about seeing the back of the bride's head part but I was not the photographer or the wedding planner. In fact, I was not even there. What I do know is that is MY plane and they better not have used it to become members of the mile high club on their honeymoon ;)
The month in review
One of the facts about owning property is that things often have to be done on a large scale. Something as simple as a driveway for instance. There comes a time in every driveways life where it needs more than TLC, but a full blown heart transplant. Ours had met it's maker.
I was told we could expect 20 years out of it, but at age 30 it was due for resurfacing 10 years ago. It had not become a pothole ridden abomination but was circling the drain, if you know what I mean. Finally, we decided that enough was enough and that we had to bite the bullet.
I was told we could expect 20 years out of it, but at age 30 it was due for resurfacing 10 years ago. It had not become a pothole ridden abomination but was circling the drain, if you know what I mean. Finally, we decided that enough was enough and that we had to bite the bullet.
At 600 feet in length (200 M) and a 4000 sf (400 sq m) parking area, it was a 10,000 sq ft (1000 sq m) bullet to bite. The bad news was that we had to spend a good part of our children's inheritance to get it done. Having just a little left over, we blew the rest on the construction of a 500 sf (50 sm) deck, the first phase of 3. The other two are scheduled to be larger but built over the next two seasons we are home.
The good news is that we trust the kids will be proud of us for having spent their money so wisely.
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We were told to keep cars off the driveway for a few days for it to cure, so we thought...why be subtle?
He's the man!
I know I am often (OK, almost always) working on a project or two, but a little known fact is how much I rely on buddies I have who know what the heck they are doing. I usually do almost all the work but the secret is surrounding yourself with smarter people than you that make you look good. Here, that buddy is my friend Barry.
Our friendship goes way back to the days he joined our cast of merry men, stage managing our evening stage show. His background is construction but his skill set goes way beyond into a myriad of areas. His help then was not only in building some of the illusion props for our show, but in a variety of technical areas of sound, lights and special effects. To cut to the chase, he was largely the brains behind the operation to make us look good.
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| Barry: top right |
Since those days are over, he has helped me navigate through some tricky projects here at home. I have done a fair amount of building but have always relied on others expertise to make sure that I not only build things to code, but that I end up with a quality result.
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| "Why do I have to dig all these holes?" "So you can fill them with cement"
"Oh...."
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We shortened our stay here this year by 3 weeks to extend our time in France as we have so much work to do to our new villa there (do they make medications for this condition?)
Meanwhile, I dug 35 footings, mixed and poured 75 bags of cement (just over two tons) with about another 20 bags or about a half ton to go. Then, I framed the sub structure. There will surely be more to be said next month.
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"Is this your idea of a straight cut?"
I have been at it for a month and so far, Janice is not impressed. She says the boards are too far apart and people will fall through. "Besides", she says, at the rate I am going I won't be finished before the second coming. I better pick up the pace or she will hire a competent contractor and force me to just hang out at the beach. (!)
***The Winchester Mystery House is a mansion up the road from us in San Jose which was once the residence
of the owner of the world famous Winchester rifle
company. His widow had a construction crew working 24 hours a day for years in the
belief it would ward off evil spirits.
Carpenters were hired and worked on the house day and night until her death. It became a seven story mansion built without an architect or plans and featured staircases that led nowhere and windows that faced interior walls. Cassie and Dr. Destructo
This month, we had the pleasure of a 48 hour visit by daughter #4 and her little fireman. Cassie was in town for some specialized dental work so we got the bonus of seeing the little man. His visit was much like a tornado. Short in duration, but still capable of doing a lot of damage.
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