Another Day Goes By...

Yeah, I spent half the day cutting trim and painting...

Painting is a chore I absolutely DETEST!!! Has to be done though...

Slowly but surely... I'm sure I'll get it done one day...

As promised Petra, a pic of Chance and Tanner, not that you can really see their haircuts, but hey, at least I took the pic... :)

They Don't Get It!!

So Carolyn had taken the kids to get haircuts, and I was hungry... I had to run down to the store, so decided to stop at McDonalds to get something to eat. I ordered, then paid, then pulled up to the window to get my food. The girl told me, "Can you please pull up?". "Why?", I asked. There was no one behind me I might add. "Because the food isn't ready yet." she said. "I'll take my money back then", I replied. A blank look came over her face, she told someone, "He wants his money back". The window shut, I sat there. A minute later, she opened the window with my food. "Do you still want the food?", she asked. "Yeah, if it's ready", I replied. Off I went... I didn't even WANT McDonalds food, but pull forward??? I WON'T do it. I used to just refuse to do it, but I read a story about someone who got arrested for that, so now I just tell them I want my money back... :) If I wanted to wait, I'd go home and microwave something...

Yeah, I DID take the kids to Sparkles this morning. I took a lot of pictures, but for some reason this is the only one that actually turned out. Perhaps I need to read the manual for my camera... Yeah, I'll get around to that SOON!! The good news is I got to page 353 in the book I'm reading... :)

After we got back from Sparkles, Carolyn took the kids to get haircuts and to get a new tire for the van. I was actually about to drag out the parka and the kids came and asked me if they could swim. I was like, "Isn't it cold?" "No, we think it's warm" they replied. Whatever, if you don't think it's cold, swim! They did... :)

I was FREEZING watching them, but they did not seem to mind...

I spent the rest of the day trying to get that trim up... Finally got it though... Wow!

So I suppose I'll leave you with a photo a day from now on when I work on the pool house, see if you can spot the difference from the day before... :)

On It Goes...

Yeah, I never did get around to taking the kids skating, but they have been hounding me so much that we are going first thing in the morning so I can get back and continue working on the pool house... I'm getting so close to the end, I don't want to stop... :)

I spent half the morning and part of the afternoon getting the trim cut to go around that opening... Of course if I wasn't so anal about making everything fit perfect and just using caulk, perhaps it wouldn't have taken so long... I was about to prime and slap the trim up, then realized, wait Matt, you have to stain the bar first, it will be hell trying to do it once the trim is up...

So I then spent several hours finishing the bar, then sanding it and finally staining it, so that chore is done... Perhaps once I get back from skating in the AM I will get a LOT of the trim up... I'm hoping anyway... :)

Directions, huh???

So yeah, I didn't read the directions on how to install that siding... Day before yesterday, I noticed it all buckling in the back and on the side. I went back and read the directions, and oh, I was supposed to leave a 3/16" of a gap between the panels and a 1/16" gap between the nail and the panel... Yeah, I didn't do that. So I have spent the past two days tearing if off and redoing it. Ugh!! Tis done now though, and all per the directions!! :)

Also, I did not have the corner pieces that came with the siding, so I had to make my own. I spent a good part of the day doing that and painting them...

I got some of the trim up, after making it and painting it. Going to look nice I think!

I also got that fence around the pool equipment done... I'd probably be MUCH further along if I had not had to rip off all the siding and redo it, but whatever... :)

Brrrr!!

I'm not sure how they do it, but they do... Swim that is! I think the water is absolutely FREEZING!!

Chance and Nate were the first two in...

Then Taylor jumped in, Tanner is still deciding...

Tanner finally worked up the nerve to jump in...

They didn't swim for long though... :)

There's Just So Much To It...

Of course, having been in the construction industry for years, you would think I would have realized that... :) I never had to do all aspects of it myself though... It seems like the closer I get to the "end", the more there is to do!

Just simple things, like putting the metal on the bottom to adhere the stone to, takes what seems like forever. Have to cut it, then nail it up, then go around corners etc, all the while trying not to cut yourself while doing it...

I did make a MAJOR mistake, and I did not put the copper tubing for the water in before I put the roofing on, so I just lifted up the shingles, drilled a hole and shoved it in... Of course it took a bit longer than it sounds.

Now the fun begins, soldering ALL of the various water connections... Which I suppose is what I'll be doing for the next few days, who knows... I'll just be glad when this is done, because I've BEEN over this for a few minutes now... :)

Whew!

Yeah, I've been working on that damn pool house! I sometimes wonder what life will be like when I'm NOT working on something... Hmmm... Perhaps we will soon see!

I've got all the siding on now except for that bit by the door on the right, and the only reason I didn't get it on is because I need another section of J-Channel... Tomorrow I suppose...

Finally made it around the back, what a nightmare it was, but whatever, it's done now. I also finished the soffits today as well...

So yeah, who knows, I just may get this thing done soon! LOL!! It has turned out rather well I must say, but I'm OVER working on it, but can't quit until it is complete!! I'm going all out on it this week, we'll see how much gets done! :)

Fifth Grade Field Trip...

Today was the fifth grade field trip to Chattanooga. As Room Dad, I had little choice but to volunteer to be a chaperone. We had to be at the school this morning at 6:30, so I set my alarm for 5:00, but for some reason woke up at 4:37 and just got up fearing I would not wake back up if I went back to sleep... I of course went and made coffee as I normally do in the AM, heating up what was left from yesterday first because I MUST have coffee immediately upon waking, particulary at that hour... Checked online, e-mail, logged into my office, etc, then went and woke Chance up and off we went...

First stop was Ruby Falls. The three kids standing, Ryan, Chance and Brandon were my responsibility for the entire day. They took about ten parents per class, each parent had to make sure each of the kids they were responsible for were within "grabbing distance" the entire time. We had a good time at Ruby Falls, I'd been before, but it has been ten or fifteen years...

Next stop was the Chattanooga Riverboat Pier 2 where we had lunch. The lunch was tolerable I suppose. We were to go on a Riverboat cruise next, but the plans changed and off we went to the Chattanooga Aquarium...

The kids LOVED the Aquarium. I think Chance was one of the few kids who could get a butterfly to land on his hand. I managed to do it once and tried to show the kids how to get them to land on them, but then it was off to the next exhibit...

Chance LOVED the Aquarium. He took about four times as many pictures as I did, so perhaps he will post some on his blog... :) Yes, I realize he NEEDS a haircut!!

Last event was a ride on the Southern Belle... Of course by this time I'm OVER it! I think the reason I was though is because I wasn't able to smoke all day, I did sneak a cig in behind the bus twice as the kids were loading, but that was it. Just as well I suppose, but I wasn't happy! :)

LUCKILY I took a book with me! We rode on those charter buses, and of course the kids all brought their iPods, Nintendo DS devices and their PSP's... Plus they played a movie on the bus. I was immediately absorbed in a book I have wanted to start for some time: Ken Follett, World Without End. What a writer! I'm so into it now I feel like picking it back up right now! I won't though, because if I do, I'll read it all night and two nights in a row with little sleep I don't need! So a good time was had by all, and now it's time for me to go get some zzzz's... :)

Amazing SIX-Year-Old Singer

Wow! Yeah, I was going to go on a rant about the idiot American public who is buying into the whole "Depression" thing, but I won't... It's not complicated. In 1929 everyone didn't have cell phones, TV's, satellite, cars, blah, blah, blah... So anyway, this is probably better than the rant, and who knows if anyone would have even participated... :)

MercyMe - I Can Only Imagine

I LOVE this song!

More Pool House...

Yeah, I'm sure everyone will soon tire of the pics again, but whatever, I'm determined to get this thing done SOON!! :)

It was freezing out today, okay, it was in the mid 50's, but the wind was blowing, and it was freezing to me!! Did make it around the side, and you can't really see it, but I got the steel mesh up on the bottom for the stone...

Another side shot...

Now I just have to get around the right door and do the other side and the back! I fear I may run out of siding though and not have enough for the back, EVEN though I went for stone on the bottom to conserve siding!! Oh well, I'll come up with something creative if that is the case, because I have to. They don't make that siding anymore, so there is no where to go get anymore... :)

So There We Were...

Merrily slapping siding on the pool house... Okay, maybe NOT merrily, but we were doing it. We? Yeah, Zach came over to help me again, he has turned out to be a great help lately! We had just turned the corner, and I was actually quite looking forward to moving around to the other side when it started POURING down rain, and of course I had all my tools outside, so we quickly put them all back up and had to stop...

So this is how I left it...

Hopefully it doesn't rain again tomorrow, because I REALLY want to get this done! We'll see... Not much anyone can do about the weather... So off to watch a few movies I suppose, and yes, unfortunately, ALL those people are still here! :)

Why Matt, Why??

Why I let three 'other' boys spend the night at the same time I have no idea...

But I do, and it's a constant getting up, "What's going on?" type of thing, but whatever, I'm about to put them all to bed... We'll see how that works out. Of course it will work out fine, because when I say it's bedtime, bedtime it is... :)

Whew!!

What's that Matt you might ask, or not, whatever... :) If you recall, before construction started on the pool, we had to cut down about 40 or 50 trees... They have been laying out behind the pool area ever since. So about three days ago, Carolyn and I decided to clean it all up. We have been burning, cutting and clearing for the past three days and I might add we are both rather tired right now. To make matters worse, we finished this evening about sevenish to come in and clean up and watch Survivor. IT'S NOT ON!!! What a letdown! Basketball?? Who cares? I suppose millions do, we DON'T!! I'm sure we'll survive though... :)

Moving the firewood we had Cory split up for us last year took a WHILE! I think we have enough firewood now to last us about ten years!!!

I don't actually have a before picture, but if you can picture that area covered with trees and limbs, that's what it looked like about three days ago before Carolyn and I tackled it! Of course if you MUST see a before picture, you can peruse the old posts, there is one in there somewhere... :)

Tis done... Right where that little tree is standing is the center of where I am going to build my kids a playground. The tree will come down of course. But Matt, don't you have about a gazillion other projects going on right now you might ask? Of course, but why not start another? :) I've been promising my kids a playground for about two years, so why not start another project is my opinion!! We'll see how that works out! :)

Hillary WASN'T LYING! Bosnia gunfire footage discovered...

Pretty funny. Don't these people realize that everything they have done in public life has been recorded??

Easter Egg Hunt 2008

So this is THE Easter egg hunt on Easter Day... The kids love this for some reason. The video cuts off rather abruptly because my camera batteries quit... That's Bo barking in the background, he wants to join in on the fun, but we have to keep him tied to a tether now because if we don't, we have to chase him down the road, and I'm NOT doing that! Hope everyone had a great day!

Yeah, That DIDN'T Happen...

What's that you might ask? Or maybe not, whatever... :) I thought I'd get the siding on the pool house this weekend, I didn't! I did get the soffit covered up though, and the connections for the flood lights done, but this is as far as I got on the siding:

Yep, part of two walls... Going to look nice though. Why did you start up so high Matt? Because I'm putting stacked stone on the bottom two feet, mainly because I don't have enough siding to cover the entire house, but hey, I got it off Craigslist for practically nothing, so that's why... :)

I also FINALLY got all the roofing complete. Although the only thing I had left to do was to cover the ridge and the corners, but at least it is finally done! I MIGHT have this baby open for business in the next month or so, we'll see...

Easter egg hunt part II... They cleaned up once again. I posted a video on YouTube, but it hasn't shown up yet, it might soon.

Early Easter Egg Hunt...

We decided to hunt eggs this morning as LeRoy and Timberly and the kids stopped by on their way down to Walt Disney World...

About to get started...

Scouring the yard for the last remaining eggs...

The kids with their loot...

Of course my kids say that we have to have another hunt tomorrow because tomorrow is actually Easter... :)

I Hate It When That Happens...

What's that you might ask, or maybe not, who cares, I'll tell you anyway... I was trying to grab stills from a DVD and it kept coming up blank. I tried for two hours to do it, finally got it. Not sure what it is, but if there is something that I can't do technically, I'm not happy, so I figure it out. I FINALLY did! Why did I want stills? Well, years ago, 1985 to be exact, Joel and I were extras in the movie 'The Sluggers Wife' and I just recently bought the DVD, so I was trying to grab the stills where we were in it. I think I was about 17, I guess Joel must have been 20, I still remember telling Boyd and Candy where we had been when we got back from the shooting of the movie. Kind of funny now that I think of it... Anyway, here are the two stills I grabbed:

See if you can spot me in this pic. Michael O'Keefe was heading up the stairs to go into the bar... Joel is standing next to me but you can't see him because I had so much difficulty grabbing the still...

The funny thing is, Joel and I had gone outside so I could smoke, which is the only reason we were even in the previous shot, but once Michael O'Keefe got in the bar, Joel was one of the bartenders as you can see from this shot. I was dancing behind the bar, but it's too dark so you can't see me.

Wow! Blast from the past! Joel and I spent two days shooting that scene, I think we got paid $35 a day, but we had fun doing it. Chance saw the scene, and he was like, "You were in a REAL movie?" LOL! I told him that yeah, I was an extra in a movie 23 years ago... :)

Enough of that... You want pictures of the pool house Jackie? Here they are...

Still not 'pretty', but hey, I'm trying... I got most of the beadboard ceiling in and got the ceiling fan hung. The only reason I did not get the rest of the beadboard hung is because I miscalculated and did not have enough... So I'll get more this weekend and finish it... :(

This is what I have been doing, the electrical and the plumbing... Nearly done though!

FINALLY got the water heater set. I was actually going to buy a water heater stand but they were $40 and I was like, "Yeah, I can build one for about five bucks." So I did... I'll have more pics after this weekend, hopefully I get all the plumbing done... :)

I Just Don't Feel Like It...

Although I probably would if there was more interaction... Blogging that is. I could go on and on about the Presidential race, we've not seen one like this in our lifetime and it is fascinating to watch. Obama's speech? Yeah, I could go on and on about that as well. I'm sure Bill and Hillary are cracking open the bubbly as I type, as is McCain...

Bear Sterns? Yeah, I could go on and on about that as well, it's a shame our government has put US on the line for 30 billion dollars so JPMorgan can buy the company for a song... I could actually go on and on about that for days...

Pick a topic, I can go on and on about it, but I won't...

I did finish the electrical wiring in the pool house, now on to the the plumbing, which will actually be easier than the electrical was, we'll see.

No, I still have no pictures, I'll take some this weekend. I'm off Friday, and then there are the Easter festivities this weekend, so that will be fun. Hope everyone is well, we are! :)

15Amps Or 20Amps...

So yeah, that's what I've been up to... Normally I wouldn't even bother, electrical work is quite simple, it's the "code" you have to follow... I've been working, working, working on getting the pool house ready and finally got all the electrical boxes installed and am ready to wire it all this weekend, but just want to make sure I wire it to code, because I DON'T want to redo it... Inspectors I might add can be quite different... Just like the deck, one told me, "Just build the damn thing, then we'll check it out" another told me, "We have to inspect the holes for the posts before you pour the concrete"... Government...

After checking all the codes, that is what I intend to do this weekend... :)

Yeah, I haven't much felt like blogging lately, I might have some pics this weekend, for some reason I have not been taking any... I need to though, as I have documented this whole process via photos, so I have to remember to take the camera with me when I start working... :)

Who knows, we'll see if I finish this wiring project this weekend, I should, we'll see! :)

Taxes...

How hard is it?? I hear people at work talking about it, I hear people on the radio talking about it, but it takes an hour or so unless you are an idiot! Three or four hours at most if you want to double check everything a dozen times...

I normally do my taxes earlier, but for some reason didn't get around to it until now... I reached into the bin where I put all the documents I've accumulated over the past year, and yeah, I have just as many as anyone else, if not more, and typed in the information into the software program... It really only took about thirty minutes, but I'm anal, so I double checked everything about three times and then hit file... It just makes me wonder about the people who say taxes take them hours or days... They either have to be complete morons, or they don't know where any of their documents are, or they are trying to cheat. Astounding!!

The Last Mile...

Okay, so it was only 55 degrees today, but I decided to get out there and get the power run to the pool house...

Well, I got it all in place, now just have to hook the wires up, but that is the easy part!!

I'm hoping to get the whole house wired, the plumbing all done, etc within the next few weeks so I can get it inspected and then start slapping the drywall up, etc... We'll see how that works out for me... :) Most of the rest of the stuff left to do is rather easy, just have to do it. As the weather warms though, I don't mind doing it AT ALL, but when it is freezing outside, I just can't, not sure why. So with any luck, within the next two months, I JUST might finish all this crap, then I can relax... Of course I THOUGHT I would have had this all done by Christmas, so who knows... :)

I Suppose It's Time...

To put up a new post that is... I haven't felt much like blogging lately, and so I haven't... :) Have I been busy? Well, not really, I guess it really all depends on your definition of busy... I've just been working around the house, trying to finish up inside and outside projects before Spring arrives! For some reason, I've not taken any pictures either, I suppose it's just too cold to be bothered with it! :)

Of course yesterday we didn't do much of anything but watch movies, which turned out to be a COMPLETE waste of time:

*Beowulf - WOW! This one is SO stupid, I'm surprised anyone even made it, and it cost like $150 million to make...

*Rendition - this one was actually pretty good, and it's the ONLY one we actually sat through the entire movie...

*Michael Clayton - Wow again! This one was so stupid, I fell asleep about 30 minutes into to it, which is just as well...

*Survivor Season Two: Australian Outback - of course we loved this one, even though we watched it when it came out in 2001...

Of course it was freezing out yesterday and snowing, of course none of the snow stuck, but today it will be 55 degrees again, so I suppose I'll finish wiring up the pool house, and with any luck, all the wiring will be completed, we'll soon see I suppose... Perhaps I'll take some pictures to post later... :)

03.04.2008...

Yup, it's that time of the year... :) To me just another day, but the kids are THRILLED! They asked me yesterday if I was excited about it, and of course I told them I was so excited I could hardly contain myself, I'd expound further, but they read my blog sometimes... :)

The whole affair lasted about 10 minutes... I never eat the cake when we have parties around here, just don't much care for sweets for some reason... Everyone else enjoyed it though, I got some great presents from Carolyn and the kids, and now it's back to work... :)

What have I been up to you might ask?? I'll tell you anyway... It has been warm here lately, so I have been toiling away on that pool house, I hope to get it done in the next month (or so)!! :) I'm finally to the point to where I am running the electrical and plumbing, once that is done, drywall and finish and it will FINALLY be done!! I don't have any pics of my progress, but I'll take some and post them... I only had a few pics Carolyn took at the party, but I bought these "batteries" that were cheap, put them in the camera, takes six pictures and then says replace the batteries... You get what you pay for...

On another topic, tonight shall be interesting seeing the results come in for TX and OH... I might have something to say about it, who knows? Right now though, it's back to work... :)