tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90808658808210744142024-02-19T05:43:04.796-08:002nd Time AroundRestoring a 1910
Wreck in the
Golden Hill
neighborhood of
San Diego CASeanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-30158102075418605102010-10-16T20:56:00.000-07:002010-10-16T21:14:41.314-07:00The never ending shed project....<div><div><div><div>So <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Today's</span> "goal" was to get the gable ends complete with brackets, "<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">bead board</span>", and the eave trim installed, heck, maybe even get the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">tar paper</span> on the roof....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWkDbH6SEzKpnYb9yDU1zO2FBMOz45WffUIeTqAdiU-XeFrQvgzKXhJgvtf_qsrxp0uWBILA5hsVSffxnskvWoLsGfzgVB7lxrj5E7fCelq0lrFX8s0WGKyQH8KcaOp32ET-qIEsekug/s1600/101610+002.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528861804275922210" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWkDbH6SEzKpnYb9yDU1zO2FBMOz45WffUIeTqAdiU-XeFrQvgzKXhJgvtf_qsrxp0uWBILA5hsVSffxnskvWoLsGfzgVB7lxrj5E7fCelq0lrFX8s0WGKyQH8KcaOp32ET-qIEsekug/s200/101610+002.JPG" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1ohK0WyjtAOrnoVNzNw0JfBUMzh8-WZi844YaNrZSBQYiC2K1A0CjLypRKfvBonCJP3Rj8FDzj8ASbQFwdCUD6ISnEOAn6ePMo6RiMKRCvqg663NvE8R_fmHdGOPhrqubgqQTLNTw6I/s1600/101610+012.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528861815022862434" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN1ohK0WyjtAOrnoVNzNw0JfBUMzh8-WZi844YaNrZSBQYiC2K1A0CjLypRKfvBonCJP3Rj8FDzj8ASbQFwdCUD6ISnEOAn6ePMo6RiMKRCvqg663NvE8R_fmHdGOPhrqubgqQTLNTw6I/s200/101610+012.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div> </div><div> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDixjGhYVoanYp0Iz0avMDdPy79jyfAfO_1tciOJ78QeRBJR74KyF1zytiT_qvgSMXydKFv9mCql9STVrt0c5RG3nEZN0Zlqsh7gAdLwRJ4IjZRQHqD4287fQ769II6FB_9sbX9krOVY/s1600/101610+014.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528861828645943602" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwDixjGhYVoanYp0Iz0avMDdPy79jyfAfO_1tciOJ78QeRBJR74KyF1zytiT_qvgSMXydKFv9mCql9STVrt0c5RG3nEZN0Zlqsh7gAdLwRJ4IjZRQHqD4287fQ769II6FB_9sbX9krOVY/s200/101610+014.JPG" /></a> </div><div>So it <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">appears</span> that this shed project is revealing the fact that my tools are cheap, old, and on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">their</span> last leg - last weekend I had to replace the power cord on my chop saw, and this weekend my 11 year old portable table saw blade <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">finally</span> stopped cutting...speaks well of the 89 bucks I spent, but that blade did not come off without a fight, and an hour and a half.... Then the jigsaw starting acting up, but with a few choice words, I managed to get through what I needed, but its days are numbered.... </div><div>In any case, I did get the front overhang done before I ran out of daylight, and I have a plan to get the back done, providing that yet another tool doesn't drop dead <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">completely</span> or need some sort of repair...<sigh>...</div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-82513600062333578952010-10-09T20:38:00.000-07:002010-10-11T10:49:50.891-07:00More shed progress...<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSraptf-QJnV8ASBY8ZZJECCHfyFlDXEmiw_VsxYZFa-ZOnqxlOoJeIhmWUDEAoFEoDGW1gFJxuv0kwM6FeZlwvKj9YWIKZ18pZ77ga8SWBs-sWsdyRNtfEap0qJWWQHlEqY_X2JIfW0g/s1600/100910+060.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526257091102901874" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSraptf-QJnV8ASBY8ZZJECCHfyFlDXEmiw_VsxYZFa-ZOnqxlOoJeIhmWUDEAoFEoDGW1gFJxuv0kwM6FeZlwvKj9YWIKZ18pZ77ga8SWBs-sWsdyRNtfEap0qJWWQHlEqY_X2JIfW0g/s200/100910+060.JPG" border="0" /></a> Today I made more progress on the new shed - the fake overhangs are done on the sides and I have moved to the brackets on the front and back - With one of <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">original</span> brackets from the house as my model, I made a scaled down version. I was surprised to learn that the original brackets are made of three different thickness of wood, so of course, I had to duplicate that element on a smaller scale.<br /><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHICFTXSKWRWmOdUHYQzlKqYZjsUO6WcGqNqvJX1pQ9wXuqYADgeTzDmVY83mCSxR5l4DXC66bJeb3XNdhr-MHh2Bh-KFls4LR9rSsu_0FlZNFds7t1vD-dcvzC2sXrkKVCCsyzEQIOc/s1600/100910+063.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526257981011003266" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUHICFTXSKWRWmOdUHYQzlKqYZjsUO6WcGqNqvJX1pQ9wXuqYADgeTzDmVY83mCSxR5l4DXC66bJeb3XNdhr-MHh2Bh-KFls4LR9rSsu_0FlZNFds7t1vD-dcvzC2sXrkKVCCsyzEQIOc/s200/100910+063.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>I was able to get the ends installed when I ran out of daylight - I am going to put a third one at the peak, which will be different from the main house - the house has four brackets on each side, two on the ends and two on either side of the center vent - the shed is too small to do that, but I think it should look <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">OK</span>. I am going to build some lattice roof peak vents to finish off the front.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ga6dk-Duf4vdS2WPmbgw1hr3Yhyphenhyphen8r5zuXw4q9SKEh6Pi90Dt-6_ASuVdqriRljQ13jcrGGyI2ZslwV-WCAfl7YwUu1qPKEz2c3j2VIs5UkDU5sGAo1tje3Vv9AiWuStVLZeS6z0zlkc/s1600/100910+065.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526257985784728146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ga6dk-Duf4vdS2WPmbgw1hr3Yhyphenhyphen8r5zuXw4q9SKEh6Pi90Dt-6_ASuVdqriRljQ13jcrGGyI2ZslwV-WCAfl7YwUu1qPKEz2c3j2VIs5UkDU5sGAo1tje3Vv9AiWuStVLZeS6z0zlkc/s200/100910+065.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div>From the side installed - the vertical piece is a 1X4, the angled bracket is a 2X4, and the top is a custom milled 3X4...</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-0WKkFxUr1T8yI1rAAIf-Lb42G5YKx9SwiflL0srb94_eYe3GE4Qak0U1KMEJr8cMxkTVipMYnuIgcFa2pfQnvCWuPLh5piKE7_RAp_CutxDC5eMLcKIwpqndDjp9Hxf2lfh21DoCr4/s1600/100910+061.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526257974256975906" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT-0WKkFxUr1T8yI1rAAIf-Lb42G5YKx9SwiflL0srb94_eYe3GE4Qak0U1KMEJr8cMxkTVipMYnuIgcFa2pfQnvCWuPLh5piKE7_RAp_CutxDC5eMLcKIwpqndDjp9Hxf2lfh21DoCr4/s200/100910+061.JPG" border="0" /></a>Steve got in on the action, and installed the doorknob and lock, so we can secure it without leaning sheets of plywood and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">cinder blocks</span>...We have a real lock now...</div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-33546913162321690892010-10-02T22:01:00.000-07:002010-10-02T22:26:42.059-07:00Shed project progress and Garden...<div><div><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisODfrgVC9U087m8l5go9wMUA3ZnmB4CNbrDSXjyOTVStVuVr2FU-DSN6swBQEmSpvjNK2mtiokxLkyZWpOX23Ylb0sljD_Cr7EFPgUghvQRzViUAbbD96QPIf3qo_Rpx-Or5bTKP9WCE/s1600/shed+progress+022.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523682392439489442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisODfrgVC9U087m8l5go9wMUA3ZnmB4CNbrDSXjyOTVStVuVr2FU-DSN6swBQEmSpvjNK2mtiokxLkyZWpOX23Ylb0sljD_Cr7EFPgUghvQRzViUAbbD96QPIf3qo_Rpx-Or5bTKP9WCE/s200/shed+progress+022.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LuaW5QrUgVApem5v5FUmiQzbNY-6tTabXpeZv86QlGdGS6_w2oAWClYJsy2oK9w85lRBYRKaB-4YP5tub8hK4eUq8USp9LqzYRqmzG_46aZ_jcePLfrxGxbyDeS-DERPZy5PE1lZgpo/s1600/shed+progress+023.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523682394091906018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8LuaW5QrUgVApem5v5FUmiQzbNY-6tTabXpeZv86QlGdGS6_w2oAWClYJsy2oK9w85lRBYRKaB-4YP5tub8hK4eUq8USp9LqzYRqmzG_46aZ_jcePLfrxGxbyDeS-DERPZy5PE1lZgpo/s200/shed+progress+023.JPG" /></a>So today I stared work on the fun part of the shed project - that is to make it match the main house with the exposed rafter tails and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">beadboard</span> overhangs and such, so it looks like it has always been here.<br /><div><div>As I was building the fake rafter tails, I had to snicker because the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">original</span> intent of the craftsman movement was to eliminate "fake" decoration and reveal the true construction details, and here I am making "fake" construction <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqCwArrk71NP0yUKIvJQXQyWCRjjldp7qH9orNQ1u9KuxPbW37fFwpg1OiG5pYnYf_2hPG15rQ7CQudm5keQKGIBkPY7Q3WqiQKDMBPWvJJT98N8C_NtQThCWCeCzEheky2gE0SGBgy0/s1600/shed+progress+027.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523682403124056674" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFqCwArrk71NP0yUKIvJQXQyWCRjjldp7qH9orNQ1u9KuxPbW37fFwpg1OiG5pYnYf_2hPG15rQ7CQudm5keQKGIBkPY7Q3WqiQKDMBPWvJJT98N8C_NtQThCWCeCzEheky2gE0SGBgy0/s200/shed+progress+027.JPG" /></a>details...I am sure Gustav <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Stickley</span> is rolling in his <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbZLJiHhfE12BB80DmRw6pQWaeiLS1vjVNchklZONPoPKf09YALQLL_SKS8qdzZgt6PIFuM-USFpBk5SxFYBE9-JfbuPCJAy9DCJ_bdGTttOyC0GpT5DSN3WU1BLTnrnrd4J1ln4G44U/s1600/shed+progress+036.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523682409486551842" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbZLJiHhfE12BB80DmRw6pQWaeiLS1vjVNchklZONPoPKf09YALQLL_SKS8qdzZgt6PIFuM-USFpBk5SxFYBE9-JfbuPCJAy9DCJ_bdGTttOyC0GpT5DSN3WU1BLTnrnrd4J1ln4G44U/s200/shed+progress+036.JPG" /></a>grave, but at least it LOOKS Real!</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbZLJiHhfE12BB80DmRw6pQWaeiLS1vjVNchklZONPoPKf09YALQLL_SKS8qdzZgt6PIFuM-USFpBk5SxFYBE9-JfbuPCJAy9DCJ_bdGTttOyC0GpT5DSN3WU1BLTnrnrd4J1ln4G44U/s1600/shed+progress+036.JPG"></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbZLJiHhfE12BB80DmRw6pQWaeiLS1vjVNchklZONPoPKf09YALQLL_SKS8qdzZgt6PIFuM-USFpBk5SxFYBE9-JfbuPCJAy9DCJ_bdGTttOyC0GpT5DSN3WU1BLTnrnrd4J1ln4G44U/s1600/shed+progress+036.JPG"></a></div><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7t3oHC82QvBlGa5J1U_Supt7ubcW2Mjb1ajAWaiWQq4Fxkkoesmr70x0Lsi6EwPUPFqmnKVvEVIPQp_bIVrALd6_SXn9gioTaefM5hHdnXSp81fbdCJRojjem5RLyXt36LIpxCf3oX8/s1600/shed+progress+019.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523685258890458114" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib7t3oHC82QvBlGa5J1U_Supt7ubcW2Mjb1ajAWaiWQq4Fxkkoesmr70x0Lsi6EwPUPFqmnKVvEVIPQp_bIVrALd6_SXn9gioTaefM5hHdnXSp81fbdCJRojjem5RLyXt36LIpxCf3oX8/s200/shed+progress+019.JPG" /></a> <div></div><div></div><div>In other news, the front yard is <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">looking</span> amazing...the roses have gone insane and it looks like a postcard...the hard work is slowly paying its dividends...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqBvRfarSH4MDLzSSaoqqv4L4_m7TQR4mrzLXvjur9w-gHC_NaoReeBDZjOfEDBEN9AxjYrbgi8h5Jk2GCx427qV6Fo12zB1yr77AOEdzNYvOVTwdE-ur_AETgQXrIRGRCgTcgZ3zYMw/s1600/shed+progress+013.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523685257449482322" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqBvRfarSH4MDLzSSaoqqv4L4_m7TQR4mrzLXvjur9w-gHC_NaoReeBDZjOfEDBEN9AxjYrbgi8h5Jk2GCx427qV6Fo12zB1yr77AOEdzNYvOVTwdE-ur_AETgQXrIRGRCgTcgZ3zYMw/s200/shed+progress+013.JPG" /></a></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXCHjcignrrJL0SPs8HVNYsXlfGozTJAkmaaCHWaTUNvfo_hhZD8NMJKrjuPzQ9-XPdrAeyfW1sDvFJbKor0Ko99jJ_JCnoKmV7JfJPEHNY63jrVYSu5nVxe0JIxrP-cfO0gr-DBFBeg/s1600/shed+progress+021.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523685269516163618" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXCHjcignrrJL0SPs8HVNYsXlfGozTJAkmaaCHWaTUNvfo_hhZD8NMJKrjuPzQ9-XPdrAeyfW1sDvFJbKor0Ko99jJ_JCnoKmV7JfJPEHNY63jrVYSu5nVxe0JIxrP-cfO0gr-DBFBeg/s200/shed+progress+021.JPG" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfXCHjcignrrJL0SPs8HVNYsXlfGozTJAkmaaCHWaTUNvfo_hhZD8NMJKrjuPzQ9-XPdrAeyfW1sDvFJbKor0Ko99jJ_JCnoKmV7JfJPEHNY63jrVYSu5nVxe0JIxrP-cfO0gr-DBFBeg/s1600/shed+progress+021.JPG"></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-32370111579935852642010-09-27T10:35:00.000-07:002010-09-27T10:52:44.954-07:00Outdoor progress...So over the past few weeks we have been building a storage shed in the backyard - A gift from my Dad. The original plan was to build it from scratch, but we stumbled across a perfect kit at Home Depot that was less than the cost of materials, and actually looks really good - It looked and was scaled like a 1920's garage. We spent the time with my dad getting the structure built, and then he and Steve emptied out a rented storage unit, which will save us quite a bit of money.<br /><br />The next phase of the project is for me to add craftsman brackets and a wide overhang so it matches the house - The kit roof had no overhangs, so we extended the roof off the sides a foot and the front and back 14 inches. I will be making some fake rafter tails and we got some fake <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">beadboard</span> that I will attach under the overhangs so it matches the house. The brackets will be smaller versions on the one on the house, and I will also make new door trim to match. So much more to do!<br /><br />I also had a little mishap this weekend with the sprinklers, again! I installed all of the sprinklers, but one of the ones in the lawn is set too high, and I have it adjusted as far down as it can go, but it still gets caught on the lawnmower and snaps off - This has now happened a few times and I always have a nightmare getting the broken nipple out of the pipe - So today I decided to google "sprinkler extractor" and low and behold, they make a tool called nipple extractor that is designed to grip and remove the broken stub, and is only $3.95.... Mind you up to this point it had taken me 45 minutes to an hour to get the broken piece out. I had given up yesterday afternoon so I will be picking a nipple extractor on the way home....Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-61746361582842126442010-09-12T16:37:00.000-07:002010-09-12T16:51:45.627-07:00Blast from the past....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDWuDMLYO3D27IpbpLKGomJ2Z53wz7UusswwXstWismsvdgmj0krc8udAshcxmlwj_SffzAGHGXwe1qHWvQWP6Kt22p8QsTuDF0rlWYcwxVT21IF7V_00YdJGWTWr2l5FbNDSnrecAbM/s1600/old1412+007.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516176837417813010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDWuDMLYO3D27IpbpLKGomJ2Z53wz7UusswwXstWismsvdgmj0krc8udAshcxmlwj_SffzAGHGXwe1qHWvQWP6Kt22p8QsTuDF0rlWYcwxVT21IF7V_00YdJGWTWr2l5FbNDSnrecAbM/s200/old1412+007.jpg" /></a><br /><div>So last night when working on the window project, I had to move a stack of boxes from the service porch to access the sash cords from the dining room window. In the boxes, I found pictures from our first house, and a picture of the crystal fixture that now graces our front hall...Now you can see why I didn't realize it was crystal. Somebody had the bright idea to put the chandelier in the </div><div>kitchen, Now it would be considered chic, <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAz-pczQ1illYpBdfqkT1C0cX8Rp1mLWl4sVsmcYMU7PuXgtN-Chrx3daKcbLN6SgarJoaCU_xA0h7MMc1OKiLzWxgGGoyFxLi8tjcVXb35bxCHRbd4ZR2B9rSvuMnl1FFh2lZ-7dWw4k/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516176855974435682" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAz-pczQ1illYpBdfqkT1C0cX8Rp1mLWl4sVsmcYMU7PuXgtN-Chrx3daKcbLN6SgarJoaCU_xA0h7MMc1OKiLzWxgGGoyFxLi8tjcVXb35bxCHRbd4ZR2B9rSvuMnl1FFh2lZ-7dWw4k/s200/002.JPG" /></a>then, downright scary....I honestly thought it was cast iron, so I placed in a bucket of hot water, and out comes a brass and glass fixture...who knew???? So we went down to a vintage light fixture parts place and I replaced the missing parts and voila, the resurrected fixture!</div><br /><br /><div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-42970274783557264952010-09-11T22:04:00.000-07:002010-09-11T22:23:52.988-07:00<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglY-XGzkISNtD3FC7HZonVqUuxbirXhW3jyJ2hA7cfocfPYhg3bldSjQlOPdoLiBIc-DK0YnIYNL3OXEWGvhes_OExQaD_JRRnVft0j8cWP85BJUIJ13L_4AymkjnvHu_k9bFbXGmbYnA/s1600/079.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515892776138275010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglY-XGzkISNtD3FC7HZonVqUuxbirXhW3jyJ2hA7cfocfPYhg3bldSjQlOPdoLiBIc-DK0YnIYNL3OXEWGvhes_OExQaD_JRRnVft0j8cWP85BJUIJ13L_4AymkjnvHu_k9bFbXGmbYnA/s200/079.JPG" /></a> So a few months ago, steve was inspired to replace the multitude broken sash cords in prepartion of summer - after 100 years, most had given up the ghost, but several were still intact. Well ,over the course of the summer weather, the remaining ones gave up the ghost, so I decided today to finish the job, and get a couple of windows that Steve had not had time to finish....<br />I am now convinced that this house was built by morons and "maintained" by idiots....<br /><br />As a bit of a background, I have renovated a number of old houses, so I know what the inside of a sash pocket (where the weights live) look like, and what the weights are like.<br /><br />In this house, no weight are remotely alike, and weren’t even the same size! They must have been in the discount bin in 1910….<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBPTb_vBo7Ot2Sq1WufTl8_5fWS3Iiw1PocIheImaAA1Yi0lmjNDOHwRwjqfzzh4uLh7o6PJ2Tm7g_nT0Xge_x63lJOHjWFPBYKJ5rzvFZrO8KJGh8dvXTKGrT6CJrcjpWbclu1fLmEw/s1600/087.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515892795600375554" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfBPTb_vBo7Ot2Sq1WufTl8_5fWS3Iiw1PocIheImaAA1Yi0lmjNDOHwRwjqfzzh4uLh7o6PJ2Tm7g_nT0Xge_x63lJOHjWFPBYKJ5rzvFZrO8KJGh8dvXTKGrT6CJrcjpWbclu1fLmEw/s200/087.JPG" /></a><br />So, I replaced the cords, and in the process discovered that the most of the window trim is rotted, and hacked from when they installed the new screens. I have known for awhile that no to windows in the house are the same size (they vary from ½ to an inch), but when they installed the aluminum screens, its clear they made the mistake of measuring one window… So, the screen installer took his reciprocating saw to the trim and hacked the trim so it would fit, and used a chisel for the rest..<br /><div><div><div><div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvWKUAS-H-zm3TLnSffGiSQdSzs4aGlPYKMJUy0AnnuxS314mAcR3sP8r1nJjNd2XdFZMxgiOxkX6Ro68t5MKSbLLcMagytDSK8DGfQcnMsjVN9LgTR3CR_qqnjPeAbmi-Ob0jOAnRxw/s1600/080.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515890862424814450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvWKUAS-H-zm3TLnSffGiSQdSzs4aGlPYKMJUy0AnnuxS314mAcR3sP8r1nJjNd2XdFZMxgiOxkX6Ro68t5MKSbLLcMagytDSK8DGfQcnMsjVN9LgTR3CR_qqnjPeAbmi-Ob0jOAnRxw/s200/080.JPG" /></a></div><div>The other discovery was the that when they built the house, they used scrap bits of sash cord as filler between the window trim and the siding – When you have clapboard siding, which is beveled, and you install a piece of flat trim on top, you have small triangular gaps between the siding and trim. In most other houses I worked on, they had wood filler pieces…here, they used cord. I am picturing some poor sot coiling bits or cord and stuffing them behind the trim….that must have been painful! When I repaint, I will probably apply liberal amounts of painters caulk…<br /><br />So everything was going fine until I got to the big dining room window on the back of the house, this was tricky, because one of the houses craftsman brackets was “attached” to the top corner of the frame – at least in 1910 it was… In the years since the bracket had pulled away from the house, and had left a gap in the sash pocket, since the trim was cut around it – so the pocket was filled with pigeon poop, feathers, and stuff I really don’t want to know about… I retied the weights, and then set my sights on repairing the bracket so seal up the pocket – so I took my hammer, pounded the bracket back into position, and then watched the whole bracket crash into my rose bush…oops…. SO… I found a piece of scrap redwood, nailed it over the ga<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGbaZNNGou7lAZT8I2VnZxv-y9eEUKrcg7d55i6FibZz1oo-Jn9jXzBUqk7lp8ZCv2CzYFL0guBmmAA6FASgYCDzccFLbE3Px78VzYjbJXrGLQVQSpB_p_Vy_8hd0okzTdlnkETxiLPA/s1600/081.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515890870924046866" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBGbaZNNGou7lAZT8I2VnZxv-y9eEUKrcg7d55i6FibZz1oo-Jn9jXzBUqk7lp8ZCv2CzYFL0guBmmAA6FASgYCDzccFLbE3Px78VzYjbJXrGLQVQSpB_p_Vy_8hd0okzTdlnkETxiLPA/s200/081.JPG" /></a>p in the siding, dragged the bracket to backyard, and then poured a glass of whiskey… Isn’t the house supposed to look better after a day of repairs???<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3sK3XqF-rEgSqJ7h88Y_nFO5YK_r5oq9Nhx_GQk-cp03DyqXVQwgG4G5WSq6B9aJdZv793D0U5soOxwbjlKci_ycfETlGZuRgnCvrcFLPa90BGKZVIhpHSzJY-r0WW5C9JdWb5-lYcA/s1600/082.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5515890888404000546" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc3sK3XqF-rEgSqJ7h88Y_nFO5YK_r5oq9Nhx_GQk-cp03DyqXVQwgG4G5WSq6B9aJdZv793D0U5soOxwbjlKci_ycfETlGZuRgnCvrcFLPa90BGKZVIhpHSzJY-r0WW5C9JdWb5-lYcA/s200/082.JPG" /></a>?? OIY? </div></div></div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-64526103390782843822010-07-11T23:03:00.000-07:002010-07-11T23:27:03.297-07:00Im not cheap, I am just recycling...<div><div><div><div>So, we have a get together planned for next weekend and want to use our <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Barbeq</span><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492900418794891026" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZKneX7SJLSmtIGwKrRxBrbjnU45UX_Gz2oEJ6Zp968mBggXt0K9ZY72aL2e9O0bAwZw2z4ennvx7rjuDe1kN9HyT1x8NDXCbF5Mbgkf22Op3fLJvlSjFEa25ePwARrDQUzVYyzDykbJk/s200/SLO+Trip+0%3Cspan%20class=" /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">ue</span>. Unfortunately, the backyard looks like a war zone and rock quarry rolled into one huge mess. so over that past couple of weekends we have been working on a patio made out of the cement slab from our tumbledown garage foundation that is ready to fall over - back in the days of yore, someone decided that it was a good ides to build a garage with a basement - put a wood floor over it and then a thick layer of cement over the wood - moisture + wood + 100 years = nightmare. Since we really need to tear down the thing, I thought why not reuse the cement broken into flagstone like sections and lay it out - at the same time, using the piles of dirt to level out the area at the base of the back steps. So we have been busy moving dirt and cement, and cutting up and throwing away the piles of tree limbs and other assorted<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgYEW2iE2XZxTik-2_2l07x542Rj6M0IQ_dF53WjdEQdlr1qgBO8kb7J6joj8xORDjrNv_WZ5q45-KOY2UWtnGY7GE8TbKWLb-YpYqxXOMpA7gJQxlrJhFVLNjTgsUdNjQAW_sE0EgYk/s1600/SLO+Trip+071.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492899965308330626" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihgYEW2iE2XZxTik-2_2l07x542Rj6M0IQ_dF53WjdEQdlr1qgBO8kb7J6joj8xORDjrNv_WZ5q45-KOY2UWtnGY7GE8TbKWLb-YpYqxXOMpA7gJQxlrJhFVLNjTgsUdNjQAW_sE0EgYk/" /></a> piles of junk in 1/4 of the <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJM9-aF_klLcIDhbWAZAFpnx013-US8EtJfdHyffIV8Cw75ZLbZZLD26RfS4lT0wuL0m-85QJ2oSzWnFQU0-8xmPwShyNSgm9eolDS4eol707eZQZW6PkUyoGdWyqqUMqm-lx57yzP4Xk/s1600/SLO+Trip+069.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492900439386465378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJM9-aF_klLcIDhbWAZAFpnx013-US8EtJfdHyffIV8Cw75ZLbZZLD26RfS4lT0wuL0m-85QJ2oSzWnFQU0-8xmPwShyNSgm9eolDS4eol707eZQZW6PkUyoGdWyqqUMqm-lx57yzP4Xk/s200/SLO+Tr%3Cspan%20class=" /></a>backyard nearest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93X43Jb4lVDtYVeUVOp6xvW7_y3cWv71_kPp1Tj3TKjXUaBccyitG7Vh8FDeuKLGvmIFMjMUD5nqucQkVuCA_WuBDJTioEiSnPkV0zSganAXad6SN30XVGeBlybQUlTVNkCY4BFDk2R4/s1600/SLO+Trip+067.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492900427275770834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93X43Jb4lVDtYVeUVOp6xvW7_y3cWv71_kPp1Tj3TKjXUaBccyitG7Vh8FDeuKLGvmIFMjMUD5nqucQkVuCA_WuBDJTioEiSnPkV0zSganAXad6SN30XVGeBlybQUlTVNkCY4BFDk2R4/" /></a> the house - Its actually looking half bad and there is a glimmer of hope - </div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-41979169484109926082010-06-11T20:15:00.000-07:002010-06-11T20:29:21.200-07:00Craziness...So our marathon of house repairs were done, and the appraiser came by today and did a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">walk though</span>. Of course, while he was outside at least 3 planes flew over the house (we are in the flight path, a fact that I did not <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">realize</span> till after escrow closed and I got the keys) and a fury of sirens went on for at least 5 minutes - Nice. Then, the finis was classic - He was all done except he needed a picture of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">water heater</span>, which is on the back of the house. We go to the back door, and the 100 year old mortise lock jammed and the door would not open AT ALL... We had to go outside and around the gate - after he left I had to pry the door open with a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">screwdriver</span> and discovered that the latch BROKE - it could not have happened earlier in the day or after he left, but right then - <sigh>.......<br /><br />Of course, I have a collection of at least 8 mortise locks and so I went on a hunt to see if I could <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">cannibalize</span> another lock for the broken piece - I should no better - out of nine mortise locks, no two were even remotely similar - even the screws that hold the cover plate on are different - so I ended up replacing the lock with a different one and had to chisel the door because it was slightly different - after that fiasco was <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">dealt</span> with, I had to <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">readjust</span> the strike plate because the latch was in a slightly different place -<br /><br />Needless to say, I am on my second Soju martini...Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-29270810104332091582010-06-02T23:51:00.001-07:002010-06-03T00:38:34.548-07:00Progress ReportSo, over the weekend I set out get a whole list of things done prior to the appraisal, and we got three checked off the list - The Porch has been repainted, the hallway wall has been realigned using a trusty car jack (no cracked plaster!!), and the hall floor has been replaced - I am very happy how it all turned out. I copied the hardwood floor pattern I had in my San Francisco apartment built in 1907 - it is a simple border using the regular flooring that creates a frame around the room. Its a nice little detail I think - I will also do it when I redo the dinning room floor.<br />The other items on the list should not be too big of a deal...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-Ahnl3VIWPV3b-NTEqVwjxdlyP_jGRntq2a-6s47sGBeO7Wd7rj9DVVIl4cz9Fh96MfJwjVwCdQfAhFYlLaXIARZyx93ydSjO5Iu5wGnQqJ2KM5iBEOXuztUBJdptr3-_n7PsuE9XhY/s1600/new+pictures+085.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478440409067953810" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh-Ahnl3VIWPV3b-NTEqVwjxdlyP_jGRntq2a-6s47sGBeO7Wd7rj9DVVIl4cz9Fh96MfJwjVwCdQfAhFYlLaXIARZyx93ydSjO5Iu5wGnQqJ2KM5iBEOXuztUBJdptr3-_n7PsuE9XhY/s200/new+pictures+085.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV7bnmHT4LUSsplmq6hCbAFVshIxFDmV2kFnnH67b0r1YWbvpMnG-cht6bHKGysvHC-s3sGRCYJQ_Y826WJ9sfcVy9QhcNBamNqvLMW6a4bwJW485KRQl3pk6DcXiqpt0xVJuq1c4l3c/s1600/new+pictures+090.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478440427314840450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicV7bnmHT4LUSsplmq6hCbAFVshIxFDmV2kFnnH67b0r1YWbvpMnG-cht6bHKGysvHC-s3sGRCYJQ_Y826WJ9sfcVy9QhcNBamNqvLMW6a4bwJW485KRQl3pk6DcXiqpt0xVJuq1c4l3c/s200/new+pictures+090.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3T_F7f4tPgcxTjlmmk4JCgdjafkVpeGLbgkO10hvlzjvbfqckPIxh-tOOhh3kLTC7Qf0vX_AMVZeIjlyfefacwzkciquAfUHY1moX9R8Covto2Lq76_tn4el4E2kMMLufQcvvFgyg_SI/s1600/new+pictures+092.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478440431833245378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3T_F7f4tPgcxTjlmmk4JCgdjafkVpeGLbgkO10hvlzjvbfqckPIxh-tOOhh3kLTC7Qf0vX_AMVZeIjlyfefacwzkciquAfUHY1moX9R8Covto2Lq76_tn4el4E2kMMLufQcvvFgyg_SI/s200/new+pictures+092.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7DpihMXoKkYNwM5vYQ684BPbNvYpP8tk_D4cz635Luu9VLi1Vmf6CWS6jskZxyYTXLdwZ8b1UydSOb7r5eLq8aKgrsPFTFt-zsBCmSYJ9aArpyYhd2V7v62ovLvLZs94XSlq8cd01ZU/s1600/new+pictures+093.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478440440938607442" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7DpihMXoKkYNwM5vYQ684BPbNvYpP8tk_D4cz635Luu9VLi1Vmf6CWS6jskZxyYTXLdwZ8b1UydSOb7r5eLq8aKgrsPFTFt-zsBCmSYJ9aArpyYhd2V7v62ovLvLZs94XSlq8cd01ZU/s200/new+pictures+093.JPG" /></a><br /><br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAx1FQ1_Cw5DjAh3NvSabregPCTCoEFnhnkljTIjr_9lwQb0Xu_gJrzkfMIUvOZO2gBtR4Nc1AWj-gfdG6x6AvWHd8XFWnBshoJlaV6wpPQ1Sx92b0YGCEu7abCgAT8ULgGQMK7q6tQ4/s1600/new+pictures+095.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478440417769731378" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihAx1FQ1_Cw5DjAh3NvSabregPCTCoEFnhnkljTIjr_9lwQb0Xu_gJrzkfMIUvOZO2gBtR4Nc1AWj-gfdG6x6AvWHd8XFWnBshoJlaV6wpPQ1Sx92b0YGCEu7abCgAT8ULgGQMK7q6tQ4/s200/new+pictures+095.JPG" /></a><br /><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-57543177933232550862010-05-28T16:50:00.000-07:002010-05-28T17:02:47.721-07:00Weekend PlansUnlike many people who will spend this <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Holiday</span> weekend on trips or relaxing by the pool, we will have a full on house weekend - Its looks like we are going to be having the house apprised soon and so we need to take care of a few...ahem details to make things look presentable - after living so long with odd little <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">unfurnished</span> projects we have become a little blinded, so tonight is the non rose colored <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">glasses</span> night - So far, the list includes:<br /><br />1. Fix the hallway wall so it aligns correctly ( will involve a jack and some wood)<br />2. Replacing the hardwood floor in the hallway ( have vintage oak flooring in the basement for this project)<br />3. Paint the front porch and column bases (The cement cap project will continue.....)<br />4. Replace the baseboard in the bathroom that is too short since we replaced the sink cabinet.<br />5. Install trim around the tub enclosure that has been on the to do list since we moved in...<br />6. Fix the hole in the wall I made when I decided to wiggle a loose pipe in the basement, which <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">caused</span> it to break through the wall, I suspect it was to the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">original</span> 1910 wall mounted <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">water heater</span>)<br />7. Replace a few of the peel and stick floor tiles in the kitchen that have slipped (<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">That's</span> what happens when you stick them on top of the old <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">linoleum</span>... and I will admit that was my doing, since we are planning to replace the the whole thing with tile at some future date and I was not in the mood at the time to peel up the linoleum)<br /><br />Hopefully that will do the trick for now - we will see what we can get done!Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-19797550908930019832010-05-07T09:18:00.000-07:002010-05-07T09:35:11.413-07:00Stripping Again....One of the main projects I did when we were redoing the Long Beach house was to strip all of the paint off the woodwork in the entire house - <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Luckily</span>, the original concrete porch pillar bases were never painted so I didn't have to worry about those... here in San Diego, a number of @#$%^ painted the cement and brick bases...<span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">repeatedly</span>. What happens when you paint cement not very well? It chips.... then it gets painted again, and chips in a different spot, so after 60+ years of this ugly cycle, you get a bumpy mess...<br />So how does one go about stripping paint off cement? A google search basically came up with what I suspected - do it the same way you do wood trim.. paint Remover and lots of elbow grease... I decided to experiment a bit and used my trusty heat gun to get <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">some</span> of the paint off, since I didn't know if the cement would absorb the heat and the paint wouldn't get hot enough to soften.. Low and behold, it actually worked and I got about 95% of the paint off, I am going to go over it with paint remover to get the other 5% off, which as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">experience</span> has taught, will be most of the work. The nice part about this is that once the paint is off, it will again be a zero <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">maintenance</span> surface.... The next project has also come into focus, which is the wood columns, there is a bit of rot, the wood trim around the base of the columns are missing, and a section of the column cap was chopped out when the porch was enclosed... I have a feeling this little side project will keep me busy for awhile...Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-87445110043409914062010-04-19T21:22:00.001-07:002010-04-21T14:22:49.647-07:00Spring at last!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbYya3nmMTCW5GQ4zuEidzkOidg-Xw47rF_e_nP8pfDbxRDbuv9oosRGymoZflONZpWpR6FMEXCh1-rVk6L5eiH9_3R89T_xtByz7T7RVB-S8xA4r5aqzorzI85GzSALtHy9h59LWeyA/s1600/013.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462072668015846882" style="WIDTH: 193px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 127px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzbYya3nmMTCW5GQ4zuEidzkOidg-Xw47rF_e_nP8pfDbxRDbuv9oosRGymoZflONZpWpR6FMEXCh1-rVk6L5eiH9_3R89T_xtByz7T7RVB-S8xA4r5aqzorzI85GzSALtHy9h59LWeyA/s200/013.JPG" border="0" /></a> With the weather warming up I have been working on the yard, and have made some nice progress, I dug up the parkway in front of the house, removed 55 tons of rocks, added manure, peat moss and compost, put down some grass seed and after about a month and a half, I now have little lawn.... I have been using the weed<br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkw18GIuVD8e6qeqOkXklLWvoe8-GPfda1R_5LZIPSpxAkZTv4PwP7Z2t1AVNRidT5lRw3GkaAmmP_W07aiOux1X7Xh-biKJMfc715SLzzbIBjs1Ty5cmfZzlEXLNBR3FYrZYmxQQ74g/s1600/015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462072679441008370" style="WIDTH: 183px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 126px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTkw18GIuVD8e6qeqOkXklLWvoe8-GPfda1R_5LZIPSpxAkZTv4PwP7Z2t1AVNRidT5lRw3GkaAmmP_W07aiOux1X7Xh-biKJMfc715SLzzbIBjs1Ty5cmfZzlEXLNBR3FYrZYmxQQ74g/s200/015.JPG" border="0" /></a> whacker to trim it, but it looks uneven, so I am scouring craigslist for an electric or push mower. I have also gotten in the first set of low voltage lights along the side </p><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifY7SXR-GzUcwabMm4aO8pwmRlhb-O65ZcoLq1fh6eoktNl7BEvUKgeHDFb12jPj9j668aIWs3qqykbvl87V4t6LWEgTcYaaqzLOGHGilJuJ6DIq4s-ceh7ytGcewNyBnpfERgUkUIhL8/s1600/014.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462072671944173538" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 126px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifY7SXR-GzUcwabMm4aO8pwmRlhb-O65ZcoLq1fh6eoktNl7BEvUKgeHDFb12jPj9j668aIWs3qqykbvl87V4t6LWEgTcYaaqzLOGHGilJuJ6DIq4s-ceh7ytGcewNyBnpfERgUkUIhL8/s200/014.JPG" border="0" /></a> and should have the front done soon. Nature has lent a hand and the roses, delphiniums and cosmos are going nuts, what a difference even from last year! </p><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxfRXjFzGhSaGONwkLHJoVbgmnjeewl55OC1sWgig41RdEb0ne62rTTu-CU43UQUDf8Y8hKlCr2g7y4Rmwiemh-aiyH6XLdn44Lo30w8aAez9bSKbC1GbLVUSG6PqIBMdMieHxgKbmso/s1600/016.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462072690634755858" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixxfRXjFzGhSaGONwkLHJoVbgmnjeewl55OC1sWgig41RdEb0ne62rTTu-CU43UQUDf8Y8hKlCr2g7y4Rmwiemh-aiyH6XLdn44Lo30w8aAez9bSKbC1GbLVUSG6PqIBMdMieHxgKbmso/s200/016.JPG" border="0" /></a> The box woods are staring to fill in and the yard is starting to look mature - what a motivator to get rest finished...unfortunatly, the "rest" is the 45' parkway along the side of the house that will need the same traetment as the front - remove the rocks, add the manure, peatmoss and compost...ugh!!! I am going to do sections at a time </p><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipR2t2S8yobgavuui2D32PR7lFING1pmzOmWbl8YWKOK3sjwqt5kn-jfjH-CtaCbYINZwj3SBH-34NeIe8n56Uw8JxPgP72u35uGOKDfYIP74ctgxm5omLsBrd5UhEXxT52O_qeyiRS_g/s1600/018.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5462072702380752530" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipR2t2S8yobgavuui2D32PR7lFING1pmzOmWbl8YWKOK3sjwqt5kn-jfjH-CtaCbYINZwj3SBH-34NeIe8n56Uw8JxPgP72u35uGOKDfYIP74ctgxm5omLsBrd5UhEXxT52O_qeyiRS_g/s200/018.JPG" border="0" /></a> so its not so overwhelming... Also on the Agenda for this spring is to chip the paint off the cement caps of the porch posts, and repaint the porch floor and brick pillars. The porch floor and pillars are going to be replaced but I want to keep the cement caps when the porch gets rebuilt. Paint removal off cement...this should be entertaining....</p>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-45817446183388991502010-03-06T17:49:00.001-08:002010-03-06T22:06:42.040-08:00History Lesson and New Project<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG8UmJridAbdSX3oDPu26eJymrv7yUAzYtdfICs3TZpENrVjSmc9Ykoce8iottzxF8ida1a8z05KM0Jne4k82xqGteIqCgkxrZhAIxxNsZhacZpR9mWKugI8Lg_nvyXzys8pRITSw7Sgs/s1600-h/028.JPG"></a> <div><div><div>We were at a friends the other night and he showed us his collection of San Diego city directories from the 1930's 40's and 50's. What is neat about these old city directories is that they list people by address, and also list occupation. So of course, we set out to find our house and we learned some interesting things. Our address changed sometime between 1941 and 1946 to its current address, and the apartment building across the street was built between 1948 and 1950.</div><div>So, in 1930, our house was rented to a Ralph L French who had a radio repair shop behind the house! (We live on a corner and the house address faces one street and this other address faces the other street) There is a foundation in the backyard and I have found piles of rusty tools and metal parts, so now it makes sense.</div><div>In 1937 Mr French was still here and still had the shop. I found Mr French in the California Death index, and it turns out he was born in 1897 and lived till 1983 - so he was in his thirties when he lived here...</div><div>In 1941, the house was rented to a Luther and Florance M. Persing. Mr Persing was a machinist for CA Corp.</div><div>In 1947 -48, the house was owned by Ray A. and Ellen Yeager. Mr Yeager was also a machinist, but he worked for Convair. </div><div>In 1955, The Yeagers were still here, and per the California death index, Mr Yeager who was born in 1891, died in 1966. The house was renovated in the mid 1960's with blue carpet and sparkly gold veined tile, so maybe it was renovated after it was sold? More research needed here!</div><div>With this info, it brings up more questions! We still don't know who built the house, and the San Diego directories only go back to 1927. We will definitely need to make a trip down to the public libraries to see the other years. I know that the Prior owners were elderly and had the last name of Smith, but no one I have talked to know how long they were here.</div><div></div><br /><div>In other news, we received a very nice gift of stained glass cabinet doors that fit nicely in our alcove opening in the dining room.</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-yOBQ8eUBmorZAIN5IT1gUiwUv2_CMGvGHEBZkueJ2PPcZvF4Y2vbVA0-hMKzfSrBKbm6BlStBpkoTtXdtcN63DO_xflyBdNl0Tp89-nCKWHcKoTJa3RFRhoCvo-lfLS6IDKrtVPFG8/s1600-h/025.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 200px; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445712064997599922" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX-yOBQ8eUBmorZAIN5IT1gUiwUv2_CMGvGHEBZkueJ2PPcZvF4Y2vbVA0-hMKzfSrBKbm6BlStBpkoTtXdtcN63DO_xflyBdNl0Tp89-nCKWHcKoTJa3RFRhoCvo-lfLS6IDKrtVPFG8/s200/025.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>If you look at the very early pictures of the house after we bought it, you will notice the trashed remains of a built in hutch that we had to pull our because it was a rodent condo and they had chewed and ruined the wood shelves with their refuse. I had always planned to rebuild it, but that project was pretty far down the list. We got some Masonite that is moulded to look like bead board and lined the space so it didn't look so bad. So now with the doors in hand, I designed a new buffet modeled after the built in bookcases in the living room - </div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SKv_1QHCMDQ4LQKpvqaPIACSQZzWynICEdKyvdmq9DDHCf6owBXn6OY7E3mDdEoYtuu742SXF1gUDPUauzzMg9Sz4V7xMsNiARMBRMf12sgGLdReV5DZsEz51LmSCZaufKUed_Veg5I/s1600-h/026.JPG"><img style="WIDTH: 150px; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5445715277383459730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9SKv_1QHCMDQ4LQKpvqaPIACSQZzWynICEdKyvdmq9DDHCf6owBXn6OY7E3mDdEoYtuu742SXF1gUDPUauzzMg9Sz4V7xMsNiARMBRMf12sgGLdReV5DZsEz51LmSCZaufKUed_Veg5I/s200/026.JPG" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbWycFKvkc58lWdtkexuDFO1rpaVar_p40Azr9e45JRmPEgIvgeNZbFQpCl-16no4CH8DWcw71-rx0n4LdRlOeiG8iVDJNWjhrWybX2MhGTU9Yk7XXc6cS6rm8_bSxMjJLdwGOXlnFHs/s1600-h/029.JPG"></a></div><div>It will have a beveled mirror at the back of the buffet section, which we bought for $9.99 at Walmart - its a simple closet mirror but just so happens to be the perfect size - how about that!</div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-62174343359493344842009-06-22T22:33:00.000-07:002009-06-22T22:59:45.697-07:00Done with the yard... NOT!The saga of the front yard continues with seemingly little progress. I have another four feet of sprinkler pipe run, four more wheelbarrow loads of dirt removed and four boxwoods planted (a find at Walmart on sale for $2.99) but it is getting there by inches... its like the painting project all over again, just in dirt.. ugghhh!!Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-68865870056622058212009-06-15T22:06:00.000-07:002009-06-15T22:44:24.274-07:00The lazy days of summer - renovation styleWell, here we are in June and I have STILL not finished the front yard yet, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">although</span> I am down to the little patch on the left side of the front porch formerly occupied by a half dead walnut tree, scraggly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">arborvitae</span>, and a flag pole made out of a two inch steel pipe stuck in concrete... All that stuff is long gone and now replaced by a pile of dirt and and PVC pipe lined trench. I am really ready for the front yard to be done so I can start work on the back (and get the plants I have had sitting in pots for the last year in the ground. The hydrangeas are looking very sad) I am also wanting to get the exterior lighting setup so we have nice mood lighting at night...<br />The jacking project is about done and now all that is left is to dig out and pour the cement footings for the new columns, but I have lost my steam on that project and will go back to it after the yard is done. I also have to think about dealing with the drainage issues on the south side. I am going to dig a trench and put some of those landscape pipes with the drain holes and run a line out the back wall down the hill into the yard. I am hoping that will collect the water and dry out the basement somewhat. NOT a fun project. Till then, I can plant my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">boxwood's</span> and enjoy the yard...Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-40557808019209980382009-05-18T21:40:00.000-07:002009-05-18T22:22:23.233-07:00StumpedWell the jacking is moving right along now... I figure about another week and the house will be level!!! <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Unfortunately</span>, not all of the doorways are squared up - the front bedroom has a half inch gap, and the back bedroom is about an inch and a half <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">difference</span> between the top and bottom. I am probably going to have to pop off the trim and reset the frames. decades of being out of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">wack</span> have taken there toll. It reminds me of a family get <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">together</span>. In the interim, all the street trees are in and seem to be taking They are all showing new growth so that is a good sign. I have finally tackled one of the big items on the to do list in the yard- the three hideous tree stumps in <div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfBufOccGAJfMXqD3vPDwXIXlLRtF_2Lt7FRuWRqMt7eAlcN3UeVPWki9tfnDNDWRMmLrgGrWr0w0FDfzLPUGFcdoy0fF2O0UGMkeyoNPW5hLRglNNhwoR4DhZxURZMLYgaFesRRQfLM/s1600-h/LB+Pride+Weekend+067.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337400252512733682" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhfBufOccGAJfMXqD3vPDwXIXlLRtF_2Lt7FRuWRqMt7eAlcN3UeVPWki9tfnDNDWRMmLrgGrWr0w0FDfzLPUGFcdoy0fF2O0UGMkeyoNPW5hLRglNNhwoR4DhZxURZMLYgaFesRRQfLM/s200/LB+Pride+Weekend+067.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div>front of the house - a pick ax, a shovel and a chainsaw and a lot of swearing and voila! no stumps. The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">additional</span> challenge was the three sets of waterlines running in close proximity - since we are the corner house, we have the entire blocks water meters in the parkway. Fun Fun! Now I can finish the sprinklers and plant grass. I would prefer ground cover (no mowing) but I can't come up with anything that would take foot traffic since this is a very urban neighborhood and people need to get in and out of their cars parked on the street. The roses have just gone nuts over the past few days and so there are masses of roses along the side and front of the house. </div><div> </div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7t4GCRaa2vcFVYoDguzAVhfLdiThR-HUSL3GKZh7uzim5OzWJ7oS98indSygZmcih-TfIOpIsPl-2OU5LuWq2F68IKaZVjMuZ8dQmqPm3OIqYPx8ByX67IcJg2a7ZaO-Xh_q27QnEro/s1600-h/LB+Pride+Weekend+068.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337399829108688546" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv7t4GCRaa2vcFVYoDguzAVhfLdiThR-HUSL3GKZh7uzim5OzWJ7oS98indSygZmcih-TfIOpIsPl-2OU5LuWq2F68IKaZVjMuZ8dQmqPm3OIqYPx8ByX67IcJg2a7ZaO-Xh_q27QnEro/s200/LB+Pride+Weekend+068.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGfTs6vPbwVrDD_SpZmq15HkjZjZJIvl6kjD2y2IDPZvh5sga9g6O0UVKk1072_I2_yKwam2odqIDuMeuUZfqLit1X6WO4DNUSLBH7VB3HZ3nOvgp64qBbe0XP_CD_cMVo_qkd-e1Slk/s1600-h/LB+Pride+Weekend+070.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337399830101771378" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvGfTs6vPbwVrDD_SpZmq15HkjZjZJIvl6kjD2y2IDPZvh5sga9g6O0UVKk1072_I2_yKwam2odqIDuMeuUZfqLit1X6WO4DNUSLBH7VB3HZ3nOvgp64qBbe0XP_CD_cMVo_qkd-e1Slk/s200/LB+Pride+Weekend+070.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div>They are more established this year and have really started to fill in. Little by little its getting there. If I could only find the %#$^%$ leak in the fountain I can get that running again. After I set it up, the water level would drop in a few hours. I sealed up where I thought the leak was <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">coming</span> from but it still leaks. I have to find some boat sealer or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">something</span> like that and just coat the whole inside. Oh well, more projects!</div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-33260098648010439042009-04-27T22:14:00.000-07:002009-04-27T23:08:57.680-07:00Progress report<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneCO4Zyd_32jT4qalOpzvkG1Jk5WpnkIIiAVGqdqXOG3LHCUjLalUsnjdBqeYsauzfm64A1YgFZI9_Sz_PgLsaZ7p_korLLTFB_32fZjQm0vt98l1vsn-nVFOfaBlUg3FkYmUsA7_dTM/s1600-h/house+014.JPG"></a><div><div><div><div><div><div>Lots of stuff going on around here in our Crapsman Bungledlow....The house has lifted almost 4 inches - in the picture below the top of the tape measure is where we started...We have about an inch and quarter to go - All sorts of things are shifting since the house has been sagging a long time and the prior work done on the house just worked around the leaning - The kitchen counter has moved up an inch, and the "replacement" support they put in the basement is floating and has shifted quite a bit. We are getting there!</div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1XUW-bXa4QBmz86VV6RyUMqTJrClL2WHswvW9j2UdMBXg1inZrxXYPZAnZM4YSlSDGakXGQZuHlp4Qwar6Jr95doO7-XskzphOgmqY3z_XaiW94kclEdF0HRlsroWeSl3jV40tTl65w/s1600-h/house+008.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329608073464986578" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv1XUW-bXa4QBmz86VV6RyUMqTJrClL2WHswvW9j2UdMBXg1inZrxXYPZAnZM4YSlSDGakXGQZuHlp4Qwar6Jr95doO7-XskzphOgmqY3z_XaiW94kclEdF0HRlsroWeSl3jV40tTl65w/s200/house+008.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBUaImkjlYwK9ALdFkOBaWc906Vjy3b9JACZBMMy5EQMnhXfR3A-0lKK63FTcmF75MJZiM795_DsofBrXu2FQJAdPqRFUIjxhhuek0WDJNo2TnbWM5Ix76W9WBUGYyvzocqElrtBcwQs/s1600-h/house+015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329608089002312386" style="WIDTH: 163px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBUaImkjlYwK9ALdFkOBaWc906Vjy3b9JACZBMMy5EQMnhXfR3A-0lKK63FTcmF75MJZiM795_DsofBrXu2FQJAdPqRFUIjxhhuek0WDJNo2TnbWM5Ix76W9WBUGYyvzocqElrtBcwQs/s200/house+015.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXP1bOnbjFKkjO9VriS9mF_Ko_lcuHWLLq3dJqqIgKhpWsOOHldgbzf7wHGnkv3522obkgKQKxNn0MNnoeSIoSBllZBIcW3qpuQfihR2A30A9xquG6olW1JJdduUuZ4-y_ipGldg1A0k/s1600-h/house+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329608082007947954" style="WIDTH: 168px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 199px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimXP1bOnbjFKkjO9VriS9mF_Ko_lcuHWLLq3dJqqIgKhpWsOOHldgbzf7wHGnkv3522obkgKQKxNn0MNnoeSIoSBllZBIcW3qpuQfihR2A30A9xquG6olW1JJdduUuZ4-y_ipGldg1A0k/s200/house+010.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div>As usual, I have multiple projects going, the first was a result of a fortuitous find and the local 99 cent store. They had some half round planters, which became the recipients of some herbs ( Thai basil and Mint) in the picture and three planters of strawberry plants on the stair rail. It has dressed up the back on the house and at the same time I have a nice supply of my favorite herbs. I bought more pots and will probably add more as time passes. Right now I am trying to root a lemongrass plant from a fresh one I bought at the market. I spent several weeks looking for a plant at all the local nursery's without any luck. A very nice employee at Armstrong Nursery gave the me instructions to root the one I bought - find one with a bit of root at the base, stick it in soil, cover it with plastic for a few days to capture the moisture, put it in bright light with no direct sun and it should root. So far it has been a week but i have not seen any progress...I had to take off the plastic because I was seeing a little mold forming... We shall see how this experiment goes. If anyone knows of a place in Southern California where I can find a lemongrass plant, let me know!</div><div>In other yard news, I finally bought my parkway trees this past weekend. This is no small feat seeing as I have been researching different trees that would be appropriate - grow fairly quickly, are deciduous, and have a shape I like. I thought about Ginkos (Slow growing, too large for the 4' space between the curb and sidewalk, and very pricey) California Sycamores ( Too big for the space) Crape Myrtles ( Beautiful, but the shape wasn't quite to my liking) and finally, Ornamental Plums. They have dark red leaves and are covered with a profusion of pink flowers in the early spring. Over the past week or so I have been pricing them and had decided that I was going to go ahead and buy one or two at a time, since the least expensive ones I had found were 19.99 at Home Depot. Well, as luck would have it, Steve and I were at Home Depot on Sunday pricing supplies for the bathroom renovation (I wanted to redo the kitchen first but he really hates the tub area) in any case, as we were leaving, I noticed they had a section FILLED with ornamental plums in 5 gallon containers with a sign - 9.99..... So needless to say I bought the six we need - 4 on the side of the house and two for the front, and I got two in the ground this evening. I always forget till I am swinging the pick ax just how bad the soil is here. However, I received the nicest feedback from the neighbors on their evening walks and was asked at least three times what kind of trees they were ( it happened in the home depot lot when we are loading them in the car). One fellow who lives in a stunning and immaculately kept house up the street told me how much he appreciates the work we have done on the house and how it has really made a difference. Its nice to know it does make a difference, and motivates me to do more...</div><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBUaImkjlYwK9ALdFkOBaWc906Vjy3b9JACZBMMy5EQMnhXfR3A-0lKK63FTcmF75MJZiM795_DsofBrXu2FQJAdPqRFUIjxhhuek0WDJNo2TnbWM5Ix76W9WBUGYyvzocqElrtBcwQs/s1600-h/house+015.JPG"></a></p><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiBUaImkjlYwK9ALdFkOBaWc906Vjy3b9JACZBMMy5EQMnhXfR3A-0lKK63FTcmF75MJZiM795_DsofBrXu2FQJAdPqRFUIjxhhuek0WDJNo2TnbWM5Ix76W9WBUGYyvzocqElrtBcwQs/s1600-h/house+015.JPG"></a></p><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKLVIseNlCduogryM5BnCtBOF3TRapHC7B-voGybFRaCU9EDVcgU7dSF2aOSmC9PS_KivF2q37Q0AHZ6XbQ7Ak8Lk9BT0pnIxeS4EkOVGP-FjzyVb8vzH9JKuk5VNCBXpCmON2B3T01M/s1600-h/house+004.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329608079773244418" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMKLVIseNlCduogryM5BnCtBOF3TRapHC7B-voGybFRaCU9EDVcgU7dSF2aOSmC9PS_KivF2q37Q0AHZ6XbQ7Ak8Lk9BT0pnIxeS4EkOVGP-FjzyVb8vzH9JKuk5VNCBXpCmON2B3T01M/s200/house+004.JPG" border="0" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-16527307849666200262009-04-13T20:56:00.000-07:002009-04-13T21:30:12.673-07:00Milestone<div>Well, I am now at the halfway point! 2.5 inches up and 2.5 inches to go - The bathroom door now <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">actually</span> closes, latches and locks... a first since we moved in. The bedroom doors are not there yet, but soon they to will close and latch...The next step is to start digging the footings for the permanent posts, which is not going to be much fun. I am planning to go down at least 16 inches to make sure they are very well anchored. With this project in progress, I am formulating the next project - replacing the hardwood floors in the dining room and hallway. I was fortunate to get my hands on 5000 square feet of vintage oak floors that matches what is already here. I replaced three quarters of the oak floors in the front room in Long Beach, and so I already own a floor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">nailer</span> and have had lots of practice. Below is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">picture</span> of the floor prior to sanding. I mixed the existing floorboards with the "new" ones so I could keep as much of the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">original</span> as possible. Here the floor is really shot so I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">suspect</span> I won't be able to reuse much. I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">may</span> use the original <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">flooring</span> to patch the damaged boards in the living room. When they installed new wiring, they ran steel conduit through the floor and bolted the outlets on top of the baseboards. One of the near future projects will be to redo all the outlets and move them into the wall. At the same time I will add a few more and relocate some of the oddly placed ones. The projects continue.</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FSggS-vF5KEc6O3azaSTsjOIdgtVPsSafINF_aflDAJ7sQE8O-rPSM_J0CbFzd_1-YrmPFxqH90iH-jHHAB8RbB_wnYiy86eUbkVA3dneERmMQdJl7xeEICdD27ypqy1UczW0sDiHsk/s1600-h/12+19+08+023.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5324394160477602754" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FSggS-vF5KEc6O3azaSTsjOIdgtVPsSafINF_aflDAJ7sQE8O-rPSM_J0CbFzd_1-YrmPFxqH90iH-jHHAB8RbB_wnYiy86eUbkVA3dneERmMQdJl7xeEICdD27ypqy1UczW0sDiHsk/s200/12+19+08+023.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-16039125328195487692009-04-07T17:23:00.000-07:002009-04-07T18:58:56.223-07:00Progress at Last<div><div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo5QL_iRJYwhdHJpmEC-v8YAV-a6OtXdrqbQqCC4Li-GnhG6X_nx9uKWy02VM3znR9YKsWfcQQEzyHIHDApQKTuw0Vty4bYr4tZBseBczu-CDzqE4_wahYsclWjdG7YPwze20nn9cV3k/s1600-h/4+3+09+011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322131265126888850" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZo5QL_iRJYwhdHJpmEC-v8YAV-a6OtXdrqbQqCC4Li-GnhG6X_nx9uKWy02VM3znR9YKsWfcQQEzyHIHDApQKTuw0Vty4bYr4tZBseBczu-CDzqE4_wahYsclWjdG7YPwze20nn9cV3k/s200/4+3+09+011.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAzdHClACC6SN-HWg9BlJoKaPSi9T5QpVh5JaoocCxppDqi3MGvkmPT-f9kvrLp2tO7OLgJjewLaAM9szdr2dgBHOQjwwc3KfQfIld_1Bm53i3HoczOYL3LrLnd9KKQjEoFzNGpB7qUE/s1600-h/4+3+09+009.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322130257218259890" style="WIDTH: 223px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 180px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAzdHClACC6SN-HWg9BlJoKaPSi9T5QpVh5JaoocCxppDqi3MGvkmPT-f9kvrLp2tO7OLgJjewLaAM9szdr2dgBHOQjwwc3KfQfIld_1Bm53i3HoczOYL3LrLnd9KKQjEoFzNGpB7qUE/s200/4+3+09+009.JPG" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOAzdHClACC6SN-HWg9BlJoKaPSi9T5QpVh5JaoocCxppDqi3MGvkmPT-f9kvrLp2tO7OLgJjewLaAM9szdr2dgBHOQjwwc3KfQfIld_1Bm53i3HoczOYL3LrLnd9KKQjEoFzNGpB7qUE/s1600-h/4+3+09+009.JPG"></a></div><div>Whew! It has been quite awhile since I have done any updates, and there is a number of things to report - most importantly, that the jacking of the house has begun! When we bought this place a year and half ago, one of its chief charms (along with the broken windows, see through bathroom floor and resident rat population, was a severe sag in the center of the house. We dealt with the other issues prior to moving in, the sag was sort of the elephant in the room.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibTUdb50NeJpGHGtHptJwylairBgOrgx2YKAEE9LfRaXoKdLqf0RWo4TR6bsFfHEUhBPVVn4PTqQMLRzlhTk_BAOkl6lsk4cBgTdoCEWKcrN0qDlAoLrxNHSRkalxBcJYAdVCr_4MjbE/s1600-h/4+3+09+010.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322130262332613682" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 172px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjibTUdb50NeJpGHGtHptJwylairBgOrgx2YKAEE9LfRaXoKdLqf0RWo4TR6bsFfHEUhBPVVn4PTqQMLRzlhTk_BAOkl6lsk4cBgTdoCEWKcrN0qDlAoLrxNHSRkalxBcJYAdVCr_4MjbE/s200/4+3+09+010.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF6sfs1Qjf96VEnZZE2iM3Rl3SvBLG4pll4pXY5qi7cCzlk-gQet-9zWsjkM0TTt1ewik-XVDSKGBcz9stqwyfHIErtEepqhUkGiNJ916BoToImgmG3muTsQ9JFhEM0zzNJiIiqZj3XQ/s1600-h/4+3+09+016.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322130262029323106" style="WIDTH: 150px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 200px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidF6sfs1Qjf96VEnZZE2iM3Rl3SvBLG4pll4pXY5qi7cCzlk-gQet-9zWsjkM0TTt1ewik-XVDSKGBcz9stqwyfHIErtEepqhUkGiNJ916BoToImgmG3muTsQ9JFhEM0zzNJiIiqZj3XQ/s200/4+3+09+016.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Our weekly cocktail parties had an added element of surprise when you realized that the room was leaning - I always blame it on the drinks. In any case, we lived with the doors that would not close, and removed the rollers off all the dinning room furniture. So finally, I bought the floor jacks and some 4X4's, and strung up a masons line to see how far it had fallen. It turned out that it was over five inches, and to top it off ALL the posts minus one had completely rotted at the base, so we had a twenty foot span resting on one post - whose base was resting on sand. The main beam had sunk so low that the center floor joists were floating about 1.5 inches above the beam, so the floor had no support whatsoever. After researching all over the web and consulting with a number of contractors, I set four jacks on some precast concrete bases, and attached the 4x4 posts to the support beam using metal brackets. Then I started the jacking by screwing the jack one turn - which was 1/8". I have done one turn a day for the last two weeks and have lifted the house almost two inches. All the joists now are sitting on the beam, the bathroom door ALMOST closes, and the kitchen cabinets in the low corner of the kitchen have lifted 1/2 inch. So far so good and the plaster cracks have been minimal and limited to where it had already been patched before. </div><div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>In addition to the excitement inside, I have made some progress to the outside - I put in a hedge and a nice lion fountain, and it looks great! Sure beats the rusty chain link and weeds...</div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-9ZjUormOSg65b7yCf3Fsw-EG65kk7ozS7YNFOxhLb1eccpAHmStkMchbnTzVE7WwF-osdEwXEPR4E5t_GOdq1L49ENFJ8UCZ2gtrqNkC9fqa1qQHhpQtV4yqS7qc7wjGhRUNRDU_2Q/s1600-h/4+3+09+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322133446508861042" style="WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC-9ZjUormOSg65b7yCf3Fsw-EG65kk7ozS7YNFOxhLb1eccpAHmStkMchbnTzVE7WwF-osdEwXEPR4E5t_GOdq1L49ENFJ8UCZ2gtrqNkC9fqa1qQHhpQtV4yqS7qc7wjGhRUNRDU_2Q/s200/4+3+09+002.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-87837642437899824412008-06-16T22:52:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:29:41.684-08:00The Good, The Bad, The Ugly....It seems like any project undertaken around here drags on for an eternity... I have still not finished painting the inside of the house ( it was "supposed" to be done before we moved in) but the thought of dragging out the drop cloth and paint cans gives me hives. It also doesn't help that the trim waiting for its second coat is in our TV /Guest room which is home to a antique shop assortment of furniture, only some of which is actually serving a purpose. On the drawing board is a glorious wall of bookshelves/ work desk for the end wall which would actually give us a place to properly store our collection of books and other assorted stuff, but its down the list. Way Down. At least until I can't stand it anymore and actually get the thing designed and built..<br /><br /><br />The other eternal project around here ( other than my rants) is the <a href="mailto:#@$">#@$</a>^&!! sprinkler system. Being blessed with a corner lot (with a front row seat to the endless array of near collisions) and a really Long parkway strip between the street and the sidewalk which needs to be sprinkled so I have nice green grass and shady trees rather than dirt rocks and weeds. With the lousy ground I am cursed with here (calling it soil or dirt is being too nice) I can only trench about 15 feet a night after work and install a single sprinkler head. I have two more to go one one side and then I get to move to the front of the house where I have 4 tree stumps to get rid of and then trench and run pipe... After that I can actually do the front yard itself, by which time it should be November ( I will NOT say what year) .<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStZj5yIvySvpACLGaYDCmEdbAmZFXfCttDokgi_clD4i0lx2Z5sa9A-aw4bI879Z9WYR73RJ9ICMmLl46ezQfG7fQrmEGnLJoxaUrCdcqBZXJEKun-nGdNaz4okc1zjPj6hGer3mCbuc/s1600-h/new+pictures+015.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212731527268508338" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStZj5yIvySvpACLGaYDCmEdbAmZFXfCttDokgi_clD4i0lx2Z5sa9A-aw4bI879Z9WYR73RJ9ICMmLl46ezQfG7fQrmEGnLJoxaUrCdcqBZXJEKun-nGdNaz4okc1zjPj6hGer3mCbuc/s200/new+pictures+015.JPG" border="0" /></a> The Good. The bright spot is that I do have one of the flowerbeds along the side of the house done, and with the roses, foxgloves and delphiniums planted and the whole thing mulched , it actually looks nice. One needs to have a finished area, no matter how small to feel better about where it is headed.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7NhrILNYCjiCZnXZCdQsaCGKLdydExZqugjXqDfNjJyxolD7m1VbMwhLc2NUO30fmMLF_IF-eN3DUmE5HExlRE4DWAAm-AvecKLVsa_7p1z1fJGgrxph_aCmxvSmiakyrBfVtd28GFk/s1600-h/new+pictures+018.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212731542591384354" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7NhrILNYCjiCZnXZCdQsaCGKLdydExZqugjXqDfNjJyxolD7m1VbMwhLc2NUO30fmMLF_IF-eN3DUmE5HExlRE4DWAAm-AvecKLVsa_7p1z1fJGgrxph_aCmxvSmiakyrBfVtd28GFk/s200/new+pictures+018.JPG" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCUqC9_w_9JZ6bwGp0q3w7yJeR5LwvksVx2V9mIZAYHDzKsZXy8Q1BdI_68Pn6Ushrg5U-KRlCRZUBZYzH2w-mr0k4qAwChoKItZo2V4sRSoEC7HNZmboO4tZY6qAENEDHtBubCceI5I/s1600-h/new+pictures+017.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212733801813768242" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidCUqC9_w_9JZ6bwGp0q3w7yJeR5LwvksVx2V9mIZAYHDzKsZXy8Q1BdI_68Pn6Ushrg5U-KRlCRZUBZYzH2w-mr0k4qAwChoKItZo2V4sRSoEC7HNZmboO4tZY6qAENEDHtBubCceI5I/s200/new+pictures+017.JPG" border="0" /></a> The Bad.... (Those are the rocks I have dug up so far)<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAXWM3flwuNwYmZNbl89Xipe89Fm1Z8ljp7ot5idC3JoffVs-awpHKmPmz8duxl9dQBa_ZXIGFKNw35w1KfQzD7h5vx3QQSd9FdV24Zc1G7br0_RU5fUTg0ryj8Lhjvr7NCSWQoiiPrE/s1600-h/new+pictures+014.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5212731548912371378" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinAXWM3flwuNwYmZNbl89Xipe89Fm1Z8ljp7ot5idC3JoffVs-awpHKmPmz8duxl9dQBa_ZXIGFKNw35w1KfQzD7h5vx3QQSd9FdV24Zc1G7br0_RU5fUTg0ryj8Lhjvr7NCSWQoiiPrE/s200/new+pictures+014.JPG" border="0" /></a> The Ugly. The sad, sad, backyard. I always wanted a backyard, I just hadn't planned on the piles of scrap metal, piles of concrete and waist high weeds) The view in the photo is the future home of a nice brick patio for martini hour... Seeing this picture makes me want a martini NOW...<br />Well, we have to get the before pictures from somewhere right? Its just nicer when you can blame the before on the Previous Owners, although in the case of this place they left us lots of really interesting surprises.....Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-43586235835397819532008-06-10T22:41:00.000-07:002008-06-10T23:12:07.892-07:00Somtimes, you should listen to the little voices in your head.Tonight was one of those nights where everything that could go wrong with a project did... an spectacularly so. I managed to burn my hands, my arm hair, and buy a tool I already had.<br />This project <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">actually</span> is a result of my ongoing sprinkler installation, and happened because I located the main waterline with the pick ax last week. Who knew that the #%##^#^ that installed the new waterline would put it three inches below the surface where I would mistake it for a rock, that was until the "rock" started trickling water. <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">since</span> I just dented it where the pipe goes into an elbow, and it was a very small leak, I decided to ignore it and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">continue</span> my <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">sprinkler</span> line and get to it later or I secretly hoped it would plug itself up. Well, I decided that today was the day I was going to fix the bugger, and on the way home, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">something</span> told me to put it off another day. I ignored that thought and went to Home Depot, got my copper fittings, came home, turned off the water , dug up the line and set to work heating the joint so I could pop off the solder..and so 20 minutes later the solder still had not popped and so I resorted to cutting the pipe on one end thinking I could heat the joint and wiggle it off. after another 20 minutes the elbow <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">actually</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">deformed</span> and <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">started</span> to <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">soften</span> from the heat, but it was firmly attached to the other line, which could not be cut <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">because</span> it runs under the sidewalk. I was using another <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">piece</span> of copper pipe slipped into the cut off side, but it heated up and burned my hand. Finally, the cut off side Fell off <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">because</span> of the heat and used a pair of pliers to wrench the ^%^^&$^$ elbow off, and finally, after all that it came off a twisted and contorted mess. So, it now being 7:15pm, I cut the new section, prepped the surfaces for soldering, and slipped them onto the pipes in the ground. I had incorrectly <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">measured </span>a bit, so it all came off, got <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">re-cut</span> and went back on, ready to be soldered. I fire up the torch, and as I tip it to touch the fittings, a FIREBALL comes up and singes my arm hair. No matter how may times I take the head of the torch off, blow it out, etc it shoot out flames. Thinking I am maybe running out of gas, I get another canister from the basement and encounter the same issue. At this point is almost 8PM and with no water so in a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">panic</span>, I got back to Home Depot, buy a new torch, get back, and the new one does the same thing. I try a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">variety</span> of positions and it finally starts working normally, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">all though</span> the flame is not as <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">consistent</span> and keeps blowing out. I solder the four joints, and then turn on the water - now the trickle is a dribble in a different spot and I am DONE for the night since its slightly better than before.. <sigh> I think I will try again next week.....In the meantime, back to digging trenches for sprinklers and pulling up more rocks.....Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-57492127867893008202008-06-08T00:12:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:29:42.586-08:00Yippe!!!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweatpqQBs_Z_tsY9i-OGfoxQgrLlFF-FtL5vb4v9Zy9kPgn8dJsbOqZ8kSiikUSRZ8uUYyokULSXLa3bgEyzyYCB3m-c4BLToT8AswBoh2erLFWld3KT40EtHGmVhI-BMKPbbDlvQjkY/s1600-h/1305+001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209419171560994866" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjweatpqQBs_Z_tsY9i-OGfoxQgrLlFF-FtL5vb4v9Zy9kPgn8dJsbOqZ8kSiikUSRZ8uUYyokULSXLa3bgEyzyYCB3m-c4BLToT8AswBoh2erLFWld3KT40EtHGmVhI-BMKPbbDlvQjkY/s200/1305+001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sqZHYQdUCTe-XqU4j2oiFAlA4DIud3UhfW487RmZ52JtVRMUigofrvYl0noAcXY3uKeSLzOTdGcecj7YV2WyJPy73kjLZezwHS0blwuxje3VR5MHCHUWAGVyMzQZTrS5p31BWVjUdKo/s1600-h/1305+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209418984322870722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2sqZHYQdUCTe-XqU4j2oiFAlA4DIud3UhfW487RmZ52JtVRMUigofrvYl0noAcXY3uKeSLzOTdGcecj7YV2WyJPy73kjLZezwHS0blwuxje3VR5MHCHUWAGVyMzQZTrS5p31BWVjUdKo/s200/1305+002.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div>Well, I am both very excited and little guilty at the same time for my latest purchase. I have been focus on the sprinkler and landscaping project, and this week I finished the first flowerbed along the side of the house. I got five roses planted along with several foxgloves and delphiniums and put in a nice border of blue lobeila, which will grow in to big masses of brilliant blue flowers. The mulch is down, so I won't have to worry about the soil drying out or weeds, so it should prove to be both beautiful and low maitenece<br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209418387375818226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" height="121" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmN6uYcczm9UND1EWxQtXsZ7m3_hgEG7Xxem1HB7WXlHGhQj7ywTgo9rDEoucr9EMhSP9l8wLSiMJ21ZhSOuNPH-GmBpgPbbc1CBeQy7jtrtu7pws43wtYPbjhZsllHCPQWNiBN1OmfeQ/s200/7127+barton+street+030.JPG" width="200" border="0" /> The naughty purchase was a result of a trip to our local salvage yard to get materials for Steve's latest purchase - a 1926 bungalow with river rock columns that will be rented out.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUm90kYECHnO6ZKuD9UTCNe1gMiCE3qEZu1YnxS0UW24xTEuRsEHiFILeP5OR2VtgwodiSL2sHn24J_ka-RS8oG4pQOcy6nBmO5k77ip-y81JNkmydi125P2sQjDu73baYLBEEtaDJGSQ/s1600-h/7127+barton+street+030.JPG"></a>Out of the deal I am ending up with the houses claw foot tub, sans the claw feet. By 1926, Claw feet were very old fashioned and so a resourceful builder boxed in the tub and tiled it in, which was redone in the 1960's with neat mosaic tile but had suffered terrible water damage. In any case, the as much as we love the old tubs, the hardware is non standard and they are harder to maintain, so we have decided to remove the tub and replace it with a standard tub/shower unit. The claw foot will be installed here at some point, as I want to restore the bath back to 1910. For now, we will store it until I am ready to redo the bath.<br /><br />In any case, as I am innocently looking at replacement bedroom doors for his house, I spotted the PERFECT front door for this house - It was exactly what I had envisioned and lovely. So I measured it, convinced it would not fit, and came home only to find IT was a perfect fit. So although we are on a tight budget & front door replacement projects are way down on the list, I dreamed about the door all week and so we went down today and I bought it....So now, I just have to repair the lock holes ( someone drilled a hole for a deadbolt) and replace the front door frame ( As is the case with ever other door frame in the house, it has been massacred) But its fabulous. We got it home, and before we hiked it down to the basement for repairs, I set it in its new home and wow do I love it....</div><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div></div><br /><p> </p><p> </p>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-59054626350466237532008-05-21T23:33:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:29:42.901-08:00And we have moved to the great outdoors...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfmKRemWpoelNDGo06jUBp5PL3E8aDSQJboQWtjILJ7PDqZQz450T1ACzGZKcFFxJ7GLIBN59OZ8oKRzjNyQIQn767OfK9P90aKtmCPA8NNngIGr9aaVcuuVvEJArKIYz3awBQVrwdoI/s1600-h/7127+barton+street+001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203093228046277970" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnfmKRemWpoelNDGo06jUBp5PL3E8aDSQJboQWtjILJ7PDqZQz450T1ACzGZKcFFxJ7GLIBN59OZ8oKRzjNyQIQn767OfK9P90aKtmCPA8NNngIGr9aaVcuuVvEJArKIYz3awBQVrwdoI/s200/7127+barton+street+001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8N-flEru_7xTrJWI1K9y9c6jEB0OzJYZL6dx0UJTVr8R3AnushW6aCZ6EAxx3WTcF8JFHcJ_0rZfjDJYsnKAs88mdg0bl0tSMbtEXNguZpdCsI-9Iix8hRX5K52vZicL-E41osSBYtg/s1600-h/7127+barton+street+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5203092845794188594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL8N-flEru_7xTrJWI1K9y9c6jEB0OzJYZL6dx0UJTVr8R3AnushW6aCZ6EAxx3WTcF8JFHcJ_0rZfjDJYsnKAs88mdg0bl0tSMbtEXNguZpdCsI-9Iix8hRX5K52vZicL-E41osSBYtg/s200/7127+barton+street+002.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Boy, its been awhile since my last post, but we have made lots of progress! I have installed the first Sprinkler zone on the side of the house, and in the process removed about five tons of river rock, and broken through very tough clay. This is the worst soil I have encountered ever, so the next step is massive amounts of compost and peat moss, and maybe a few sacks of manure for good measure. I have my roses in pots in the back yard, and added some foxglove, delphiniums hydrangias, and last night I bought a Japanese maple on sale at Lowes for 21.99 - regularly 39.99 so I am a happy camper. It will be nice when I can actully plant them in the yard, as I am having to water my mini Nursery before work every day.... <div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-_4k9qLZC4nznENGumyT2K3GShdapBOkdfA-0oekdKO17jh18wE_Gz0MXlo7C24qfLrv6bVeIqJrOiQVYJr8Qam0emwYk_EwfBO9P32bjNGS7M9Z1Fe8W6W9AnERLeide-gvGOZidus/s1600-h/7127+barton+street+001.JPG"></a>The other good news in that I got the malibu exterior light on Ebay for $35 with shipping. Its over $100 at Home Depot so I am happy...<br /><div></div><div>A few weeks ago I was cleaning out the garage in Long Beach and ran across a few gallons of paint I bought for the Window sashes - I ended up using less than half a gallon on the windows up there so I decided to try it out on this house.<br /></div><div>Wow, what a difference! It really makes the house pop. I touched up the area on the front porch where it was enclosed and covered up the turquiose spots. Boy what were they thinking! </div><div>In any case, with the holliday weekend, I should finally get the soil ammended and then get most of the plants in the ground. I can't wait!</div><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-89682648893082083672008-04-24T23:02:00.000-07:002008-04-24T23:43:28.159-07:00Updates...Wow, how time flies..<br />I wish i could report that the house is now picture perfect, but I am not THAT delusional...<br />Instead, I am happy to say I have removed the ugly chain link fence, the wheelchair ramp and three Jade plants. (pictures soon <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">forthcomming</span>). I also been collecting items for the finished yard, including 8 iceberg rosebushes, (On sale at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Walmart</span>!)the control panel for the sprinkler (A deal on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ebay</span>!) And sprinkler parts (gift from out Long Beach neighbor), and the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">coup'd'ete</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Fabulous</span> exterior lights for 75% off at Home Depot. Awhile back, I had picked out some very expensive path lights that were relegated to the wish list. A few weeks ago, while at Home Depot, we took a walk down the outdoor lighting aisle and I showed Steve the $26 lights I wanted foe the outside. He noticed they were on sale for $4.99!! I bought all they had, and then we went to (ahem) four more locations all over the San Diego area and I bought up all I could find, ending up with 18.... I actually crawled between the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">shelves</span> at one location and found three <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">addtional</span>. Now I need the $100 transformer... I am <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">channeling</span> the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ebay</span> gods to send me a good deal. Tonight we went to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Lowes</span> to get <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">sprinkler</span> heads for the side flowerbeds and they just got a shipment of Hydrangeas and I picked up the three I need for the front of the house for 4.99. Since we got first dibs, we got some really <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">healthy</span> and large plants. I should get them in the ground <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ummm</span> soon.... Till then, I have my work cut out for me watering my collection of plants in the backyard. Its like I am back working for a nursery again. Look for new pictures coming in the next few days...Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9080865880821074414.post-73927261566123482462008-02-18T21:43:00.000-08:002008-12-11T16:29:43.527-08:00Chop Chop chop...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNgxyEfA6jM4_ph7P22DSoHM1ZnO2nE7fFh4Heh6hHLQiA3GRXs-P50vxYczClN0XWdtAiEPNz8SkURt_K2zNzn3rE9iUSZH7a67MWw86at6WxFnqUIQHkIsWOlVC6EQPQV5CHowWCPg/s1600-h/2+001.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168565741712018594" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNgxyEfA6jM4_ph7P22DSoHM1ZnO2nE7fFh4Heh6hHLQiA3GRXs-P50vxYczClN0XWdtAiEPNz8SkURt_K2zNzn3rE9iUSZH7a67MWw86at6WxFnqUIQHkIsWOlVC6EQPQV5CHowWCPg/s200/2+001.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ2Ex-SHwqVdJQeHSduomsPW2n0_DKVf4b25QmKPSLpdzIMhsBu6HXaR3ebE5kudwv-CCJVD0QLCxawD5V0GaoZIjOQHJ0X_5urpE2mzjrh3wf7PmrwNc6YNwHyIofqty_AfvEW0TxzA/s1600-h/2+002.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5168565750301953202" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigJ2Ex-SHwqVdJQeHSduomsPW2n0_DKVf4b25QmKPSLpdzIMhsBu6HXaR3ebE5kudwv-CCJVD0QLCxawD5V0GaoZIjOQHJ0X_5urpE2mzjrh3wf7PmrwNc6YNwHyIofqty_AfvEW0TxzA/s200/2+002.JPG" border="0" /></a>Boy, its been awhile since I have posted, and I wish o could report on amazing progress, but then I set down my beer googles and see the disastar we actually live in.<br /><div>I have made some progress on the outside, I have cut down one tree, and four really ugly bushes so you can finally see the front of the house with its peeling paint and security door. </div><div>I have measured the entire property and drawn up a landscape plan, in preparation of installing a sprinkler system. We were at our local Lowes looking at the Rainbird sprinkler display and I saw a display offering a FREE design service for a sprinkler system if you provide measured drawings. Works for me, so I completed all of the info and then sent it off. I was planning to use rainbird anyway, it works out nicely. yay for me. I have also done some resarch and found a program that provides shade trees free of charge if you attend a three hour workshop and meet their requirements ( Is within a certain distance of the house, is a certain variety of tree, etc.)</div><div>Little by little the yard is coming together. </div>Seanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10867781762952723585noreply@blogger.com1