How I Spent My Day - 9.5.2013

Here is how I spent my day...well, part of my day. I needed a piece of trim to get a color match at the store for some touch up but I could not find an inconspicuous piece to take off the wall. Then I found this small piece behind a door. By the time I got it off, it was in three pieces. So, now, not only do I have put on the trim in some places that don't have it, I have to fix this little area. Something about two steps forward and one step back comes to mind.

Anyway, this is the just the latest in the house maintenance I am doing. I will show the completed work when done. Hopefully by the beginning of next week.

This post not only shows my recent house demolition maintenance, but it also starts a new subject of posts of "How I Spent My Day." Recently, I have been taking a picture of some beautiful place I have been and then texting that to some friends who are working and rubbing it in that I am there and they are not (aren't I a great friend? Here is an example of what I am talking about). That made me think I should do that for the blog. We will see how it goes.

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Screens and Grates

I have not posted anything new since I have gotten back from Honduras because I have been completing several "honey-do's" around the house. Now that my schedule is a little more open than in the past (long story), I have some time to get some of the items off the list that have been there for over four years.

First, I repaired every window screen on our house. You may not be able to see it in the picture (click picture for larger image) but almost every screen on our house had a hole in it. We have intended to repair these for several years and I have not had the time. We have twenty-nine screens in total. While it was not a hard job, it did take a lot of time. However, I took it at my own pace and just enjoyed the time. My daughter helped me with the last few.


Second, I put covers on our basement window wells (technically, they are grates but they are used to keep things and people from falling down the hole. I do not have a before shot, but here are the completed pictures of the grate and the window wall (click pictures for larger images). We have four window wells, each about six foot deep. I cleaned out the bottom of the window well, put some landscaping fabric down, and poured some river rock into it. Then, I installed the ladder and the security cable. These are so if there is a fire, a person can climb out the window, pull the safety release, climb the ladder, lift the grate, and get away from the house.

Again, none of these were tough but they took some time, especially at the speed I was working. I will say that lugging 16 bags of river rock down the stairs was quite an aerobic workout, but it was good.

In between these jobs, I had to repair my "weed wacker" by replacing the broken trigger mechanism. I also changed the blades on my John Deere riding mower. We have had so much rain lately it seems like I am mowing all the time.

I am sure there is a sermon illustration about screens and/or grates but just cannot think of it right now. Maybe I will post one later.

Anyway, my point is that I have been too busy to post since getting home but hope to post some thoughts soon. Just thought I would share my blood, sweat, and tears.

One more thing, check out my new visitor cluster map on the sidebar. I like the rotating globe. Let me know what you think about it.

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