Not every post can be pictorially sexy.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Day Two Hundred and Eleven
The decking has been delivered.
I spent two weeks worrying about what colour the planks would be when they arrived - the colour of the wood in its natural state varies enormously, from a reddish brown to a deep mahogany, so I was concerned that we would have to stain every piece. I'm happy with what we have, each piece is slightly different but they are all of a type - they should dovetail into a nice pattern. Unless London says differently when she arrives tomorrow night, I think a simple coat of sealant will be tickety boo.
The great American pastime.
In this case the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a feeder team for the major league Kansas City Royals. Unlike in European football you cannot be relegated in the MLB regardless of how appalling you perform - and mother O'Reilly are the Royals a shockingly poor team. Unfortunately I don't think the Blue Rocks are going to help them much if the match on Friday evening was any indication - skinny 19 year olds who consistently miss the ball is not encouraging; I'm not a flag waver for either Mark Teixeria or A Rod, but at least they had forearms thicker than tooth floss and weighed more than 140lbs when they started out.
My dollar is on the Red Sox.
I spent two weeks worrying about what colour the planks would be when they arrived - the colour of the wood in its natural state varies enormously, from a reddish brown to a deep mahogany, so I was concerned that we would have to stain every piece. I'm happy with what we have, each piece is slightly different but they are all of a type - they should dovetail into a nice pattern. Unless London says differently when she arrives tomorrow night, I think a simple coat of sealant will be tickety boo.
The great American pastime.
In this case the Wilmington Blue Rocks, a feeder team for the major league Kansas City Royals. Unlike in European football you cannot be relegated in the MLB regardless of how appalling you perform - and mother O'Reilly are the Royals a shockingly poor team. Unfortunately I don't think the Blue Rocks are going to help them much if the match on Friday evening was any indication - skinny 19 year olds who consistently miss the ball is not encouraging; I'm not a flag waver for either Mark Teixeria or A Rod, but at least they had forearms thicker than tooth floss and weighed more than 140lbs when they started out.
My dollar is on the Red Sox.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Day Two Hundred and Ten
Heavy lifting day.
This is a reasonable gamble. $100 to the person who can work out why anyone would install a ton of concrete, to make two steps, in a building that must have weighed less than John Candy.
Nevertheless, I was like a school boy with a new train set - what is it about big machinery and men? Don't answer.
Obviously I wasn't involved in the serious work (Tom was, above), but I like to think that my presence added...well, frankly, absolutely nothing. I stood aside while the job got done. I still know my place in this project.
The machinery was supplied by our neighbour Ron. If you ever read this Ron - many thanks.
As I was taking this photo Tom said to me 'It's looking good'. Indeed it is.
This is a reasonable gamble. $100 to the person who can work out why anyone would install a ton of concrete, to make two steps, in a building that must have weighed less than John Candy.
Nevertheless, I was like a school boy with a new train set - what is it about big machinery and men? Don't answer.
Obviously I wasn't involved in the serious work (Tom was, above), but I like to think that my presence added...well, frankly, absolutely nothing. I stood aside while the job got done. I still know my place in this project.
The machinery was supplied by our neighbour Ron. If you ever read this Ron - many thanks.
As I was taking this photo Tom said to me 'It's looking good'. Indeed it is.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Day Two Hundred and Eight
Our new office attracts water with a thirst that makes Hemingway approaching Harry's bar in Venice look like a Mormon tourist from Utah.
After three martinis and with one eye half shut it could be Venetian, but I pretty certain Canaletto would refuse this particular commission.
We need to do more than grade an ounce of earth here, a pinch of mud there.
So, to avoid wading around with the Canadian Geese in 12 months time, Tom has arranged for an engineer to survey the land and let us know the best way to drain, shift and gently persuade the rain to go elsewhere.
This peculiar contraption is one half of a two leg attachment that the 'spacklers' use to reach the ceiling. Incredibly difficult to master I'm told - much like stilts I guess. Novices can be spotted by being black and blue with bruises.
But, the spackling is finished. Who cares about a bruise or two? I know, I'm horrible.
Empty paint pots. The significance is in the emptiness. I'm really horrible.
I picked up the external lights from the store in Hockessin yesterday. I'll post the photographs just as soon as London gives me the nod.
After three martinis and with one eye half shut it could be Venetian, but I pretty certain Canaletto would refuse this particular commission.
We need to do more than grade an ounce of earth here, a pinch of mud there.
So, to avoid wading around with the Canadian Geese in 12 months time, Tom has arranged for an engineer to survey the land and let us know the best way to drain, shift and gently persuade the rain to go elsewhere.
This peculiar contraption is one half of a two leg attachment that the 'spacklers' use to reach the ceiling. Incredibly difficult to master I'm told - much like stilts I guess. Novices can be spotted by being black and blue with bruises.
But, the spackling is finished. Who cares about a bruise or two? I know, I'm horrible.
Empty paint pots. The significance is in the emptiness. I'm really horrible.
I picked up the external lights from the store in Hockessin yesterday. I'll post the photographs just as soon as London gives me the nod.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Day Two Hundred
The PICO electric wires have been removed from the front of the building.
This is impressive - every little external nitch, glitch and ditch is being hand filled and smoothed and the entire place is being repainted. Em, are you sure you don't want it in Royal Navy Blue...?
Yes, that plant thing on the left does need some attention.
This deserves to be in the art gallery. It's the pipe that will be fitted under the sink. I had no idea that something so practical, and normally hidden, could be so well designed and worth leaving on show.
This is impressive - every little external nitch, glitch and ditch is being hand filled and smoothed and the entire place is being repainted. Em, are you sure you don't want it in Royal Navy Blue...?
Yes, that plant thing on the left does need some attention.
This deserves to be in the art gallery. It's the pipe that will be fitted under the sink. I had no idea that something so practical, and normally hidden, could be so well designed and worth leaving on show.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Day One Hundred and Ninety Eight
We've moved along a little. It seems my writing hasn't.
I've been informed by London that my prose is too 'purple', too Brideshead Revisited (I wish - if I could construct a single measly sentence that Evelyn Waugh would deign to nod his head at I would straight out faint), but if it's too 'purple' for West Finchley tastes, then fine, I'll take a shot at Hemingway and Fitzgerald. Nothing like setting the bar stupidly high.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Day One Hundred and Ninety Seven
The options for the parking area are A) poured concrete, B) blacktop, or C) this..
.
This is called Old Towne Cobble, Pewter Blend (who thinks up these names?).
I'm partial to a combination of the rectangular and square pavers...
In this arrangement...
These are other options...
For some reason I like this spectacularly impractical design...
Do we need borders?
I'm not sure how poured concrete will weather after a few fearfully hot summers and brutally cold winters, but I have the sense that trying to repair chips and cracks will be ongoing and expensive; blacktop/tarmac is just an outright con, a complete waste of money, aaarrrggghhhh, I'm furious just thinking about it!
A further consideration is that neither of those options allows water to drain through, so it sits there. Splash, splash. Or if the grading is not perfect it runs off and turns the surrounding grass into a swamp - bog turtles, that would be the next problem - I'm not having bog turtles casually wandering around my herb and root vegetable garden. Have I not mentioned the herb and root vegetable garden?
However, because the cobble stones are laid individually each single stone can be replaced if it gets cracked, and obviously the gentle, gentle but mostly torrential rain of Pennsylvania drains straight down.
The first small crop of swedes, turnips, parsnips and potatoes should be ready in late November - mutton stew time.
.
This is called Old Towne Cobble, Pewter Blend (who thinks up these names?).
I'm partial to a combination of the rectangular and square pavers...
In this arrangement...
These are other options...
For some reason I like this spectacularly impractical design...
Do we need borders?
I'm not sure how poured concrete will weather after a few fearfully hot summers and brutally cold winters, but I have the sense that trying to repair chips and cracks will be ongoing and expensive; blacktop/tarmac is just an outright con, a complete waste of money, aaarrrggghhhh, I'm furious just thinking about it!
A further consideration is that neither of those options allows water to drain through, so it sits there. Splash, splash. Or if the grading is not perfect it runs off and turns the surrounding grass into a swamp - bog turtles, that would be the next problem - I'm not having bog turtles casually wandering around my herb and root vegetable garden. Have I not mentioned the herb and root vegetable garden?
However, because the cobble stones are laid individually each single stone can be replaced if it gets cracked, and obviously the gentle, gentle but mostly torrential rain of Pennsylvania drains straight down.
The first small crop of swedes, turnips, parsnips and potatoes should be ready in late November - mutton stew time.
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