PORCH PROGRESS

WE ARE SPENDING ANOTHER WEEK-END WORKING ON THE NEW PORCH.  SCHOOL DOESN’T GET OUT IN CALIFORNIA UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, SO BUSINESS AT THE CASINO IS STILL SLOW.  LAUGHLIN AND THE COLORADO RIVER ARE A VACATION DESTINATION WITH THE RIVER, LAKE, AND HOTEL POOLS.

IT’S KINDA LIKE WHEN WE USED TO CAMP AT DEVIL’S LAKE WITH THE SAME FAMILIES, THE SAME WEEKS IN AUGUST OR JULY.  THE FAMILES AND GROUPS RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR, KIDS GROW UP, DRINK SOME BEER, WATCH THE SUBMARINE RACES, AND EVENTUALLY ARE OLD ENOUGH TO GAMBLE.

MANY OWN SUMMER HOMES ON THE RIVER, AND MOST DRAG THEIR BOATS TO THE RIVER TO PLAY, BUT UNTIL JUNE 15TH, IT’S SLOW AT WORK, AND SO WE HAD SATURDAY, SUNDAY, AND MONDAY, OFF THIS WEEK.  I’M HAPPY WHEN I GET A THREE DAY WEEK-END, AND I’M HAPPY WHEN I GET FIVE DAYS  OF WORK. SO, AS USUAL, WE’RE “HAPPY CAMPERS”.

MY PLAN FOR THE PORCH WAS TO START WITH THE KITCHEN AREA.  I WANTED A KITCHEN COUNTER, COMPLETE WITH LOWER CUPBOARDS, DRAWERS, AND LOTS COUNTER SPACE. I CAME HOME WITH THIS FOR $40.

YOU KNOW, PUT A COUNTER TOP ACROSS THE TOP, AND PRESTO IT’S A KITCHEN ON THE PORCH.  WELL, YOU’LL NOTICE THAT THIS PICTURE IS TAKEN OUTSIDE OF THE PORCH. THEY SPENT EXACTLY ONE NIGHT IN THE PORCH AND MARY DECLARED THAT’S NOT GOING TO CUT IT!

THE KITCHEN IS STILL A SIX FOOT WHITE TABLE, BUT LOOK, WE’VE ADDED A WHITE MICROWAVE THAT MATCHES, AND ONLY $15 AT ONE OF THE MANY THRIFT STORES ON OUR WEEKLY TOUR.

YA, THAT’S GRANDMA JACK’S DRINK, IN FRONT OF THE NEW MICROWAVE.  THE PUZZLE TABLE IS JUST OUT OF VIEW TO THE RIGHT OF THIS PHOTO.

ON THE THRIFT STORE RUN, WE SCORED THIS TABLE AND CHAIRS FOR $50.  IT’S ROUND, GLASS TOP, WICKER CHAIRS WITH ARM RESTS, AND JUST FITS.

WHAT’S THAT RED, BLUE, GREEN, AND YELLOW ON THE FLOOR?  THEY ARE FOAM PADS THAT INTERLOCK TO USE ON THE FLOOR FOR EXERCISING.  WE BOUGHT THEM FOR FLOOR COVERING INSTEAD OF INDOOR/OUTDOOR CARPET.  THEY ARE MUCH NICER TO WALK ON AND ARE NICE BRIGHT PRIMARY COLORS.

 

 

THE STEPS STILL NEED SOME WORK, SANDING AND STAINING.

IT’S A NEW BLACK & DECKER ELECTRIC SANDER AND SANDPAPER.  HMMMMM…..

THIS COULD TAKE SOME TALENT AND KNOW-HOW.

I BETTER FIND MARY……

MARY? MARY?

OH YA, THE PUZZLE TABLE…..

………

…….

  “SUNNY & 103”

Turkey Day?

By Uncle Hans

About 10 miles from our destination of Green Bay, we hit an adult wild Tom turkey.  Right in front of the driver's face.  Fortunately, the safety glase held, but just barely.  You could see small fractures in the plastic.  It was about 40 lbs and nearly 75lbs and quite a test for the windshield.  Had it failed, it may have been very serious.  

    Of course, it was a holiday weekend and no one would fix the problem so we had to borrow Kathy's car to go home and exchange cars in Abbotsford on Tuesday night after the glass was fixed.  What an adventure!!

 


 







.......... the little grey smudge in the last picture is a feather, a that we have left of the turkey.

 




By Uncle Hans

News From Ecuador

By Uncle Hans

So, on our trip to Green Bay, we visited Neil and Kathy.  By our great luck, Michelle Del Pozo, Juanito's niece from Ecuador, arrived literally at the same moment.  It was fun to catch up on their family.  Her brother Roberto, was just graduated from Harvard in Boston and the whole family was there and in New York for the event.  she flew out to visit her American "parents"........ Neil and Kathy





.....of course, she brought her little girls along, and we had great fun......





......the girls helped Grandma Kathy to make this.   It almost qualifies as a Whatizit!...........





.....I don't know what it is called, but you start with this unusual angel-food-cake-pan-shaped-glass-standing-bowl.  then you cut an angel food cake into pieces, ad cool whip and vanilla pudding, and all sorts of fresh fruit and viola!......there it is!  whatever it is called.........





......Neil served it up.  I imagine you could put most anything in there except maybe spaghetti sauce............
..............mmmmmmmmmmmmm.......





By Uncle Hans

A Visit To Grandma

By Uncle Hans

Renee and I recently stopped in on Grandma for a visit............

.....we took her this bookcase, which was in her condo.  This was from the one-room schoolhouse she attended as a child.  Rex will remember the school. It was on the crossroad corner about a mile from the farm.  He and I once attended there with Jim for a day or two........

....we also took her some different "summer" clothes.  You will be happy to know that she is gradually moving out of her suitcase and into the assisted living place...........

Neil and Kathy have been busy moving things a little at a time to make the place more homey.  This is the "Last Supper" picture she once crocheted.  It took two years.........

............she commissioned a local artist in Stockton to paint these pictures.  They depict the 23rd Psalm.......

....we took her an old photo albums from the 40's and she took us on a "tour".  Very interesting........

.....the highlight, however, was placing the candle holder "Whatizit" in her display case.  She did not know who owned it, but added to the mystery by remembering that "there were two of them, a matched set"  Where and when will the other one surface?
  Only "the Shadow" knows..........

By Uncle Hans

FURNISHING THE PORCH

WE HAVE BEEN MOVING THE WHITE TABLES AROUND IN THE PORCH TRYING DIFFERENT THINGS IN DIFFERENT PLACES.

THE FIRST PROJECT HAS BEEN ELECTRIC.  AT THIS POINT IT’S ALL EXTENTION CORDS.  LUCKILY WE HAVE THREE PLUGS ON THE CAMP SITE PEDISTAL, 50 AMP, 30 AMP, AND 20 AMP.  THE CAMPER IS PLUGGED INTO 50 AMP, WE RAN AN EXTENTION CORD FROM THE 20 AMP TO THE SECOND A/C IN THE BEDROOM, AND THE 30 AMP PLUG CORD IS PROVIDING POWER TO THE FRONT PART OF THE PORCH.

WE HAVE DECIDED THE KITCHEN AREA IS GOING TO BE ON THE NORTH END OR THE FRONT OF THE TRAILER, EVEN THOUGH THE GRILL ENDED UP NEXT TO THE SHED OUT THE BACK DOOR ON THE OPPOSITE END OF THE PORCH. THERE IS A KITCHEN WINDOW IN THE TRAILER THAT WILL MAKE A NICE PASS THROUGH FROM THE THE KITCHEN IN THE CAMPER, AND THE DIRTY DISHES WILL BE CLOSER TO THE SINK INSIDE.

THE FIRST SUMMER WE SPENT ON THE LOWER DESERT WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY THAT THE FRIDGE IN THE CAMPER DOESN’T CUT IT IN THE HIGH HEAT.  THIS YEAR WILL BE A LITTLE BETTER AS THE BACK PANEL IS IN THE SHADE OF THE PORCH, BUT NOT COLD ENOUGH FOR MILK AND FRESH MEAT. AFTER WE LEARNED OF THIS PROBLEM TWO YEARS AGO, WE WERE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR A SMALL USED FRIDGE.  WE BOUGHT ONE FOR $100 AND HAVE USED IT IN THE SHED FOR BEER.  I MOVED IT INTO THE KITCHEN AREA OF THE PORCH AND SET IT UP ON BLOCKS AS I WAS TIRED OF BENDING OVER TO GET BEERS.

SO NOW WE ARE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR AN OLD KITCHEN COUNTER OUT OF SOMEONES HOUSE DOING A KITCHEN REMODEL.  AS LONG AS IT’S SOLID WE CAN DEAL WITH PAINT, DOOR PULLS, OR HINGES, AND IF THE TOP OF THE COUNTER IS A LITTLE RUFF, WELL, WE CAN TRY TO LAY TILES OVER THE TOP.

THE BACK OF THE PORCH IS TURNING INTO THE LIVING ROOM, COMPLETE WITH DIRECT TV.  AFTER THE FIRST RAIN WE FOUND OUT THAT THE TV NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED, SO WE WERE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A USED ENTERTAINMENT CENTER.  ON A USED FURNITURE TRAILER ALONG THE HIGHWAY IN FRONT OF THE SPIRIT MOUNTAIN CASINO WE FOUND A USED SOLID OAK ENTERTAINMENT CENTER FOR $70.

WE HAULED IT HOME AND MARY HAS APPLIED MARINE URETHANE TO IT LIKE YOU WOULD USE ON THE OUTSIDE OF A WOODEN FRONT DOOR TO PROTECT IT FROM THE UPCOMING MONSOON RAINS IN JULY AND AUGUST.  WE STILL NEED TO RAISE THE SOLID PART OF THIS BACK WALL TO KEEP THE RAIN OUT OF THE BACK OF THE TV.  IT ALSO HAS STORAGE FOR DVD, CD’S, THE WII, AND A DVD PLAYER.

WE ARE ALSO ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A TABLE AND CHAIRS. WE ARE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE PATIO SEASON TO SEE IF WE CAN SCORE A DEAL AT ONE OF THE BIG BOX STORES, AND WE HAVE BECOME REGULARS AT THE THRIFT SHOPS IN THE VALLEY.

MARY HAS BEEN PICKING UP SLIVERS FROM THE NEW WOODEN STEPS THAT LEAD INTO THE CAMPER, SO SANDING, STAINING AND VARNISHING MAYBE THE SOLUTION THERE.  JUST ANOTHER PROJECT FOR MARY. SEE MARY, HGTV IS GOOD FOR SOMETHING?

MARY? MARY? OH YA THE PUZZLE TABLE IS UP….

   “SUNNY & 103”