THE STEPS

THE NEXT PROJECT ON THE MILE LONG “TO DO” LIST WAS THE STEPS.  THESE ARE THE STEPS ON THE PORCH THAT LEAD INTO THE TRAILER.

THEY HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST SINCE THE PORCH WAS COMPLETED.  THE MAIN REASON WE DIDN’T DEAL WITH THEM WAS THE EXTREME HEAT OF SUMMER.  OUR INTENTIONS WERE GOOD, WE EVEN BOUGHT A POWER SANDER AT THE TIME.

THE SECOND REASON THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN ON THE BACK BURNER SO LONG WAS THAT MARY AND I COULDN’T AGREE.  MARY WANTED THE THE STEPS TO BE NATURAL WOOD WITH STAIN AND VARNISH, AND REX JUST WANTED TO PAINT THEM AND BE DONE WITH IT.

THE STEPS WERE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF SOME REGULAR 2 X 6’S.  THEY WERE RUFF IN SPOTS, AND LOT’S NAILS AND SCREW HEADS YOU JUST COULDN’T SAND OVER.  WITH THE HEAT AND DISAGREEMENT THEY JUST SAT AND WERE IN USE FOR THE LAST FIVE MONTHS.

FINALLY A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WE ARRIVED AT A COMPROMISE.  WE WILL PAINT EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE TREDS, WHICH WE WILL STAIN AND VARNISH.

BEFORE:

 

AND AFTER:

 

NOT BAD !!! IF THERE WERE A PAINTING THE STEPS MERIT BADGE, WE EARNED IT !!

OF COURSE I FORGOT TO GRAB THE CAMERA DURING THE BEST PART, WHICH WAS USING A POWER TOOL TO SAND THE STEPS OUTSIDE.  IT WAS ESPECIALLY FUN FOR MARY BEING A FIRST TIMER WITH A NEW POWER TOOL.

THE STEPS WERE HAULED BACK INTO THE PORCH AND THE PRIMER WENT ON.

 

FOLOWED BY THE BRIGHT RED PAINT.

 

WE USED A THREE STEP LADDER FOR THREE DAYS TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE TRAILER WHILE THE COATS OF PAINT AND VARNISH ALL DRIED, AND MANAGED TO KEEP THE CATS OUT OF PAINT.

Phoenix

By Uncle Hans

We just got home from a whirlwind, weekend trip to Phoenix.  Renee has an Aunt and Uncle and 4 cousins and a brother and all the families to visit.  We spent a lot of time at the poolside in "85 and sunny".....

  ....we also rented a big Harley and spent a day travelling around touristing.  This was an old mining town converted into a tourist trap.  Luckily, they had a tavern, but the steps to get into there are kinda like a sobriety test. 

interesting......

This shot is some of the rest of the town.  The camera does not seem to get out of the pocket as much as it used to.  Maybe I am getting old, but you have to take it from me, there was some cool scenery.

     We went up the road toward a place call Tortilla Flat.  The road was narrow and twisty.  This bike weighed 400 lbs more than our bike and Renee was uneasy about the combination.  We came around a sharp corner and found a gaggle of people and bikes on the side of the road.  There were many long faces peering over the side, looking down.  We decided to turn around.  We will see Tortilla Flats another day.

     We met two ambulances on the way back to town.  The first bounce was 150 straight down.  I doubt there were any survivors. We have head enough of motorcycle accidents for a long time...........

“AZ” MOVES INTO A BEER BOX

 

That Explains It!!

When Rex writes a blog I usually proofread it.  I try to correct the spelling errors, if any, and anything else that needs to be changed.  The other day he had me proofread the post called “turkey finger”.  Did you read it?

We talked about that post and how AZ will follow Rex anywhere to get that “turkey finger”.  I started thinking about that concept and do you know what I realized??

REX is MY turkey finger!!

At least I have followed him into many, many interesting places and situations.  And I am very glad I did.  Makes life interesting!

Halloween In Spooner, Too

By Uncle Hans

It was recently that time of the year to carve the Jack-o-lanterns.  We have had great fun in the last couple of years with this, mostly because little people have re-appeared in our lives  Annie is Jake's little one and Bella lives next door and has has adopted Renee as her Grandma...........

.....the crew included Bella's Dad and two guys staying in the guest house who work for Jake, and Laurel.....

...........The result is pure art........

  .....and a lot of fun...........

   .....We only had one Trick-or-Treater at our rural lake house,.  This is Bella, dressed up as Taylor Swift.  We went into town, as we have in the past, and helped some friends open the door for over 500 kids at their house.  Great fun!

By Uncle Hans