With all of that cracking, one would think it's really old. Unfortunately, when we tore the shingles off, we found some surprising stuff :
Thursday, November 27, 2014
The Roof WAS on Fire
Well, we replaced our roof. Luckily, I changed jobs, and the vacation time I had accrued essentially covered the materials. My family is awesome! They came up (or down, depending on which family it was) to help out. They did amazing work! The old roof looked pretty old :
With all of that cracking, one would think it's really old. Unfortunately, when we tore the shingles off, we found some surprising stuff :
Yes, underneath it, we found green tar paper nails, and ice and water shield! That means the roof was less than 15 years old. A single layer of shingles, 15 years old, curling like that... it means that there was too much heat in the attic. We cut a few more holes for vents, removed the vent that was in place for the wood burning stove in the basement, and dropped some new OSB over the top. Then we put a new roof on. Hooray!
With all of that cracking, one would think it's really old. Unfortunately, when we tore the shingles off, we found some surprising stuff :
Monday, July 28, 2014
I'm a Lumberjack and That's Okay
Now you probably have the song stuck in your head. That's okay, too.
As we've been rebuilding the fence in the back yard (we believe in a safe environment for children to play in, just in case potential birth parents happen onto this blog) after a windstorm laid it down, we've run into a few problems. A big problem has been time. We've had so many other projects going on that it has taken an awfully long time to get the fence rebuilt. Let's add to that the old fence was falling over because four trees had grown up underneath it and pushed it over, and it's easy to see that things start to compound quickly.
Recently, I've been taking out the trees, trying to get a stabile foundation for the fence. The previous fence was 4x4 posts just planted into the ground - no cement or other methods to anchor it. They completely rotted out. It's been a combination of using a small chain saw, and cutting ailanthus trees (trees of "paradise", or commonly called trees of Hell), and trying to ensure we don't get a bumper crop of trees. While I was at it, we had a spruce that needed to vacate the premise, too. Because of a set of power lines, I had to take that one in half (not as bad as the ailanthus tree) :
Let's add in that for these ailanthus trees, there are actually two sets of power lines run along the fence line, so taking the trees down has been more of a precision and surgical action. It's been getting really old taking those things down... but the problem trees have finally, successfully been removed, and it's been an "on to the fence".
Finally, I got the posts in today... and the basic side boards to get things ready to be finished. This is the part that goes quickly. Wahoo!
As we've been rebuilding the fence in the back yard (we believe in a safe environment for children to play in, just in case potential birth parents happen onto this blog) after a windstorm laid it down, we've run into a few problems. A big problem has been time. We've had so many other projects going on that it has taken an awfully long time to get the fence rebuilt. Let's add to that the old fence was falling over because four trees had grown up underneath it and pushed it over, and it's easy to see that things start to compound quickly.
Recently, I've been taking out the trees, trying to get a stabile foundation for the fence. The previous fence was 4x4 posts just planted into the ground - no cement or other methods to anchor it. They completely rotted out. It's been a combination of using a small chain saw, and cutting ailanthus trees (trees of "paradise", or commonly called trees of Hell), and trying to ensure we don't get a bumper crop of trees. While I was at it, we had a spruce that needed to vacate the premise, too. Because of a set of power lines, I had to take that one in half (not as bad as the ailanthus tree) :
Let's add in that for these ailanthus trees, there are actually two sets of power lines run along the fence line, so taking the trees down has been more of a precision and surgical action. It's been getting really old taking those things down... but the problem trees have finally, successfully been removed, and it's been an "on to the fence".
Finally, I got the posts in today... and the basic side boards to get things ready to be finished. This is the part that goes quickly. Wahoo!
Friday, May 9, 2014
Humbled By Humanity
I needed to post on this one, and I have before and during pictures for folks. First, I was amazed when people came from everywhere with donations. If you have ever seen the TV show "Hoarders", it felt like our house was the current location for the show...We barely had a path through the living room to the back patio. We ate dinner downstairs for a week. My sweetie had to park outside. We had no back patio (couldn't find it under the donations). I was absolutely floored with the generosity of family, friends, and even strangers. Here are some photos of our "Hoarding" :
The few days before, we had some dear friends volunteer to sort things out, (some of the stuff just couldn't be put out there, such as used underwear, broken foo-foo thingies, and similar items). Their help was invaluable, and once more triggered more humility in looking at people's willingness to do amazing things. The day of, we were going at 5:30 setting up tables, moving stuff out, and trying to stay on top of things. A great many people assisted throughout the day, from handling the bartering to organizing.
We had experiences where people would ask, "How much is that?", to which we would respond with "Just a dollar", and the sale happened with "Here's three."
We had people who pulled up in their SUV's, and said "My husband bought this camp hammock a few years ago, and used it once. He's 73 years old. We want you to have it." Sure, I was floored by perfect strangers and their amazing acts of kindness! But, to my utter surprise, having someone purchase that camping hammock moments later and walk away muttering under his breath, "I'm still not sure what this is," makes you take a long, hard look at how we perceive people. Generosity, willingness to sacrifice, help out, and just be amazing is.... well.... amazing!
And, while we were in "full clean up" mode outside, a very dear friend claimed "allergies", and went inside. We walked into the house to find cupboards and counters cleaned and wiped down, floors swept and vacuumed, and frankly, we had a house again.
To sum it all up, we were first humbled by the generosity of SO many people who donated. Then, we were humbled by volunteers who helped to sort. We were later humbled by people buying things they didn't need, didn't want, or didn't even know what those things were. We were humbled by people walking up and handing checks to us. Lastly, we were humbled by the long time people spent laboring all day, and then cleaning up. My sweet wife and I were in tears (I pretend that we were simply exhausted [which we were] and that allergies were getting to me) for hours. There is no denial that the Grace of God ran rampant in a little neighborhood this past weekend.
We are simply, and purely, humbled. Thank you!
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| Our kitchen (or what we could still see) |
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| The garage from the kitchen - or what we could see of it |
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| Another view of the garage. There's a car buried in there. |
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| Looking into the living room |
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| We had to work for this path to get it |
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| Back patio (really?) |
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| Clothing made it all the way out here |
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| Another view of the living room |
The few days before, we had some dear friends volunteer to sort things out, (some of the stuff just couldn't be put out there, such as used underwear, broken foo-foo thingies, and similar items). Their help was invaluable, and once more triggered more humility in looking at people's willingness to do amazing things. The day of, we were going at 5:30 setting up tables, moving stuff out, and trying to stay on top of things. A great many people assisted throughout the day, from handling the bartering to organizing.
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| One yard of the "yard" sale |
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| The other yard of the "yard" sale |
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| almost done, still stuff to be sold |
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| almost done, most furniture had been sold |
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| Amazing results |
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| amazed at how many VHS tapes sold |
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| remaining toys and games went to a local police/fire department to use for children who needed them |
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| remaining books went to good will |
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| remaining clothing donated to the homeless shelter |
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| finally, clean up in full gear |
We had experiences where people would ask, "How much is that?", to which we would respond with "Just a dollar", and the sale happened with "Here's three."
We had people who pulled up in their SUV's, and said "My husband bought this camp hammock a few years ago, and used it once. He's 73 years old. We want you to have it." Sure, I was floored by perfect strangers and their amazing acts of kindness! But, to my utter surprise, having someone purchase that camping hammock moments later and walk away muttering under his breath, "I'm still not sure what this is," makes you take a long, hard look at how we perceive people. Generosity, willingness to sacrifice, help out, and just be amazing is.... well.... amazing!
And, while we were in "full clean up" mode outside, a very dear friend claimed "allergies", and went inside. We walked into the house to find cupboards and counters cleaned and wiped down, floors swept and vacuumed, and frankly, we had a house again.
To sum it all up, we were first humbled by the generosity of SO many people who donated. Then, we were humbled by volunteers who helped to sort. We were later humbled by people buying things they didn't need, didn't want, or didn't even know what those things were. We were humbled by people walking up and handing checks to us. Lastly, we were humbled by the long time people spent laboring all day, and then cleaning up. My sweet wife and I were in tears (I pretend that we were simply exhausted [which we were] and that allergies were getting to me) for hours. There is no denial that the Grace of God ran rampant in a little neighborhood this past weekend.
We are simply, and purely, humbled. Thank you!
Friday, April 25, 2014
I'll let you know how it all turns out!
To those who have donated, THANK YOU for support, love and generosity!!!!!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Dancing the Night Away
We'd talked about it for a year or so. Shan joked about me not being able to dance, and I kept responding with "well, perhaps we should take a class." Because of her schedule, I couldn't sign us up at all. She finally did sign us up. So, off we went to six weeks of learning to dance.
We started out with the waltz. A couple of weeks on the waltz (I will always think of "Edelweiss" when waltzing as a result, and every time I hear that tune, I'm going to be thinking of that beautiful woman in my arms). I pretend to have it mastered. Shan dances so well she could fit in to a Disney princess movie.
Next up, they tried to teach the cha-cha. I say tried, because that's what it was. Please allow me paint a picture for you. They teach you the "thirds" position, where one foot is slightly in front of the other, always on the ball of your foot (never the heel), and when you step, the foot that your weight is on is also the hip that is higher than the other.... wait... what? Yup, that's what they taught me. It flies in the face of all I've ever been taught about weight distribution, movement, and "flowing". We tried for a few weeks. We did the usual "scientific experimentation" to try and determine the best way to cha-cha. We finally arrived at our conclusion - Shan is amazing at the cha-cha, but my hips just don't move that way. We're going to go to a dance every once in a while to see if something finally clicks in my head, but in the mean time, I can't really cha-cha very well.
Next up - we learned the swing. Luckily, I'd had some lessons on swing dancing before, but not the basics like they taught in this class. It was a good thing to get the basic frame down for swing dancing, then the rest of it finally made sense. It was like the heavens opened, inspiration flowed, and understanding prevailed, but without the heavens opening or inspiration flowing. It was fabulous! Once again, Shan rocked this one.
Then, they taught us a fox trot. With the length of the class, we really only had a single lesson on the fox trot. The good thing is that after the other classes with the other styles, it actually came fairly naturally. But, alas, Shan already had some fox trot lessons in the past, and it was really a learning experience for me. That foxy lady trotted the floor like a pro!
Overall, here's what we learned... Shan has some serious skills, while I have some serious struggles. But, given enough time and dancing, and my skill level will finally lift into the "doable" range. We've already got it figured out to where we can go (and when) for some weekend nights out, and we will do so - that's a given. I'd dance any night away with the love of my life!
We started out with the waltz. A couple of weeks on the waltz (I will always think of "Edelweiss" when waltzing as a result, and every time I hear that tune, I'm going to be thinking of that beautiful woman in my arms). I pretend to have it mastered. Shan dances so well she could fit in to a Disney princess movie.
Next up, they tried to teach the cha-cha. I say tried, because that's what it was. Please allow me paint a picture for you. They teach you the "thirds" position, where one foot is slightly in front of the other, always on the ball of your foot (never the heel), and when you step, the foot that your weight is on is also the hip that is higher than the other.... wait... what? Yup, that's what they taught me. It flies in the face of all I've ever been taught about weight distribution, movement, and "flowing". We tried for a few weeks. We did the usual "scientific experimentation" to try and determine the best way to cha-cha. We finally arrived at our conclusion - Shan is amazing at the cha-cha, but my hips just don't move that way. We're going to go to a dance every once in a while to see if something finally clicks in my head, but in the mean time, I can't really cha-cha very well.
Next up - we learned the swing. Luckily, I'd had some lessons on swing dancing before, but not the basics like they taught in this class. It was a good thing to get the basic frame down for swing dancing, then the rest of it finally made sense. It was like the heavens opened, inspiration flowed, and understanding prevailed, but without the heavens opening or inspiration flowing. It was fabulous! Once again, Shan rocked this one.
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| I love her smile! |
Then, they taught us a fox trot. With the length of the class, we really only had a single lesson on the fox trot. The good thing is that after the other classes with the other styles, it actually came fairly naturally. But, alas, Shan already had some fox trot lessons in the past, and it was really a learning experience for me. That foxy lady trotted the floor like a pro!
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| Look Closely - She's giving me pointers! |
Overall, here's what we learned... Shan has some serious skills, while I have some serious struggles. But, given enough time and dancing, and my skill level will finally lift into the "doable" range. We've already got it figured out to where we can go (and when) for some weekend nights out, and we will do so - that's a given. I'd dance any night away with the love of my life!
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Can Tears be Converted to Tears of Joy?
Yesterday, as I held my greatest treasure in my arms while tears flowed freely, feeling the gasping convulsions associated with the sobbing of a broken heart, and listening to the quiet whisperings of a woman so torn that life had reached a breaking point, I quietly wondered if those tears could be converted into tears of joy.
I didn't do so well at it.
The only thing that seemed to break into the thoughts were "when life is in the toilet, it just really seems crappy," which actually resulted in quite a few potty puns (and not just from me, though I may have been a purveyor of most) and one slight smile that cracked through.
When I stopped doing one task and said "there's just one more thing I need to do real quick" (I STILL purport that what she thought was not what I meant), and she cracked up, I took that as the biggest victory of the day. I'd rather think about that smile than about selling the car, fixing things, or getting the media player at home fixed. I didn't care about the ongoing issues between neighbors, nor the guy I saw walking out of Home Depot carrying a handgun on his belt. I didn't care about running to grab door latch hardware, or getting things organized.
I had a smile... from HER. The BEST thing to happen all weekend. It was sorely needed - and we both knew it.
It's been said that infertility is like a death in the family. That is true. The problem is that this "death in the family" doesn't end because the pain never subsides. A friend becoming pregnant can cause the death to happen again. Not being selected with a possible adoption can cause it to happen again. Being around people that aren't aware (they may be sensitive enough, but just have no idea to even think about infertility - an out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing) can cause the pain. Even thinking about the future can cause that hopeless loss we deal with day in and day out. We live in a culture where babies are expected - and that dynamic is also something that causes the pain again, and again, and again.
None of this was caused by that this weekend. It just happened. And it keeps on happening. Strong is the woman that stands tall. Powerful is the wife that, when she has nothing else to give, gives just a little bit more. Amazing is the girl that dons a happy face while trying to visit the sick, worry about the widows, and care for the needy. Incredible is the lady that pushes forward, even when all seems lost.
She essentially laughs in the face of infertility, but she does it with tears. Oh, how my heart aches for that fine woman!
I didn't do so well at it.
The only thing that seemed to break into the thoughts were "when life is in the toilet, it just really seems crappy," which actually resulted in quite a few potty puns (and not just from me, though I may have been a purveyor of most) and one slight smile that cracked through.
When I stopped doing one task and said "there's just one more thing I need to do real quick" (I STILL purport that what she thought was not what I meant), and she cracked up, I took that as the biggest victory of the day. I'd rather think about that smile than about selling the car, fixing things, or getting the media player at home fixed. I didn't care about the ongoing issues between neighbors, nor the guy I saw walking out of Home Depot carrying a handgun on his belt. I didn't care about running to grab door latch hardware, or getting things organized.
I had a smile... from HER. The BEST thing to happen all weekend. It was sorely needed - and we both knew it.
It's been said that infertility is like a death in the family. That is true. The problem is that this "death in the family" doesn't end because the pain never subsides. A friend becoming pregnant can cause the death to happen again. Not being selected with a possible adoption can cause it to happen again. Being around people that aren't aware (they may be sensitive enough, but just have no idea to even think about infertility - an out-of-sight-out-of-mind thing) can cause the pain. Even thinking about the future can cause that hopeless loss we deal with day in and day out. We live in a culture where babies are expected - and that dynamic is also something that causes the pain again, and again, and again.
None of this was caused by that this weekend. It just happened. And it keeps on happening. Strong is the woman that stands tall. Powerful is the wife that, when she has nothing else to give, gives just a little bit more. Amazing is the girl that dons a happy face while trying to visit the sick, worry about the widows, and care for the needy. Incredible is the lady that pushes forward, even when all seems lost.
She essentially laughs in the face of infertility, but she does it with tears. Oh, how my heart aches for that fine woman!
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Edelweiss
The sweetest, cutest thing on this planet convinced me to take an "extended education" course with her.... ballroom dance. I must say, I've danced the waltz before, and a little swing dance, but never a real course for it, and never with the love of my life. Tuesday was the first class, and we covered the waltz.
Turns out, I can cut a rug (without scissors, even)! It was fun to think that I was going to make a fool of myself, only to have her standing next to me, giggling with every step we took. Those giggles reminded me of times before this adoption thing, and when she giggles, no one can hold back a smile or chuckle of their own. We learned the waltz to "Edelweiss", and that particular version had a really sappy, perfect phrase done by a solo trumpet.
So, we took the time to practice yesterday, and when we started to dance around the living room (trying not to knock over the book table or trip over the fireplace hearth), naturally I started singing. And then I kicked into a mock trumpet.... and she giggled again! It made this week absolutely AWESOME! (You rock, Woman!)
Turns out, I can cut a rug (without scissors, even)! It was fun to think that I was going to make a fool of myself, only to have her standing next to me, giggling with every step we took. Those giggles reminded me of times before this adoption thing, and when she giggles, no one can hold back a smile or chuckle of their own. We learned the waltz to "Edelweiss", and that particular version had a really sappy, perfect phrase done by a solo trumpet.
So, we took the time to practice yesterday, and when we started to dance around the living room (trying not to knock over the book table or trip over the fireplace hearth), naturally I started singing. And then I kicked into a mock trumpet.... and she giggled again! It made this week absolutely AWESOME! (You rock, Woman!)
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