We're Done!

We finished the deck demolition in time...at least we won't be the bottleneck for the construction.

We pulled posts today. When I woke up, I was thinking "no hurry...have some coffee and a cinnamon role...chill...then start carrying planks to the dumpster. Get started on the posts by 10am...should be finished in time for the Cubs game (at 1:20pm)." Actual completion time -- 5pm. (At least in time for the wine hour...)

Most of the posts were relatively easy. They didn't use concrete and we were able to extract them like molars. But there were several newer posts that were in concrete...and they were difficult. We developed a method but it wasn't that great.

1. Shake or pound (with sledge) until the post would move a little.
2. Dig around the post to expose the concrete.
3. Bash the concrete to shatter it to release the board.
4. Drill a notch and then hook the giant iron bar/level to pry it out.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for up to an hour until finished.

Probably, it was a good workout...but, took a long time. The result? See below.

Deck Demolition

Our role is to get the deck out before the team shows up to do the construction. Colin, me, some hammers and a pry bar. How hard can that be?

Like any home project, there have been a number of minor dilemmas. For example,

• 96 degree heat and humidity on the two afternoons where I could take off work early 
• A gas pipe (for the prior owners' outdoor gas grill) with no inside shut off. (Not sure how we will solve this yet but I think it will require calling the gas company and having them turn off the gas at the meter.)
• Really heavy joists that I don't want to hit the house on the way to the ground

Pics

CT Starts on the Railing

Railings Down

The Pre-Dumpster Scrap Pile

Starting on the Decking

Continuing on the Decking..It Took Waaay Longer Then Estimated

The Scrap Pile Grows

The Decking Is Gone...Next, The Frame

CT has Bossed the Stairs

No More Joists

CT and His Favorite Tool (the Sledge Hammer) vs. the Last of the Structure

The View Without The Deck

It Does Look Empty...

We Still Have to Pull Out the Posts

The View Out the Door With No Deck

The Deck Project

We are finally doing the deck project. But, we probably pulled the trigger too late to get it done before Ian's wedding :(

At this point, it looks like the dumpster, at least, will be there. After getting three bids, we went with the cheapest...seems reliable, long-term business...hope that wasn't a bad call.

The Old Fashioned

Well, we missed Cooper's Tavern...a great place to get breakfast on the way to Minocqua. We thought we went there actually...it was too hot to sit outside so Faith and Colin went right in -- except, we were on the wrong block and, instead, they went into the "Old Fashioned." Oops.



Still, great (maybe even better) food. I mean, when they cite the specific farm the cheese came from... Plus, they had 150 Wisconsin beers! (Too early in the day for us but we appreciated the potential.)



-- Post From My iPhone

T-Storm

First night in Minoc...had dinner at Mama's and the food and circuses were great...but the service was slow. They warned us when we picked up the boat that the weather was going to be nutty but we couldn't get done with dinner quick enough to beat the storm.

We stopped at Trig's (grocery store) to get some supplies and I waited in the car...it was a race between the storm and Faith's high-speed shopping efforts...thwarted by the cashier.

Back at the Pointe, I dropped Faith and CT under the overhang and they carried in most of the groceries and then I went to park the car.

By the time I ran in through the thunder and lightening downpour with sirens wailing, the people watching probably assumed that I was a desperate alky who was willing to risk his life for a six pack of Spotted Cow.

Here is the view from the room...though I missed a great shot at a big stick lightening.

Then...the power went out. Started at about 8pm. No A/C, no fridge, minimal lights. But the TV worked for awhile.

-- Post From My iPhone

Travel Aggravations

The worst thing about travel travails is that there is all this drama, tension, problem-solving, and eventual resolution and YET, it makes a pointless, uninteresting story to share with anyone else.

At best they will just tolerate your angst-laden tale of woe but there is nothing to learn and no entertainment value. Just wasted time. But, let's not dwell on that.


-- Post From My iPhone

Who is Ringing the Doorbell?

Lately, we've been getting a lot of people at our door. Inner-city guys selling magazine subscriptions, kids on a scavenger hunt, landscapers, even a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses. Lately, I've been missing our old "no soliciting" sign.

We do have a blackboard next to the front door and Faith likes to put clever messages up periodically. Lines from songs or movies are typical, an occasional pithy quote or Mitch Hedberg joke, and even original material.

The thing is, she doesn't "post" regularly and I usually use the garage door so I don't always know what is up there...I miss a lot.

For example, the day the JW's came to the door, she had the
classic Jack Nicholson line (below) from "As Good as it Gets"...but I didn't know it.


In retrospect, was it better that I didn't know? Should that have served as an implied "no soliciting" sign...at least for this situation? I wonder if they saw it while waiting for me to answer the door...did they discuss whether to ring the bell or not? We'll never know.

-- Post From My iPhone