12.31.2022

Happy New Year's Eve!  So much to be grateful for in 2022 - looking forward to many more adventures in the new year!

This morning, Jim taped up the outside seam where the door fits into the frame and then started caulking to keep any weather out...

Smoothing it out...  Tomorrow he'll paint the caulk and after that dries, we'll be ready to install!

After lunch, Jim hooked the snowblower back onto the Bobcat.  Then he plowed the upper driveway, which he didn't do after the last snowfall.  He may call and order a propane gas tank top off so he wanted to get the snow off...

Then it was back to working on the tile.  He got the upper trim pieces cut and fit...

He got all the pieces done around the receptacle and started turning the corner...

Finishing up the back side...

Wow - looks so good around the difficult to tile water lines!

Sink back in and done for the night!

High 44.4/Low 39.3

 

12.30.2022

Jim got the inside corner trim pieces he had ordered and showed us how they will work...

He finished cutting all the pieces to go around the receptacle...

And he cut the holes for the water lines...

In the afternoon, Jim decided it was time to see if we could get the package drop box out of the auto bay and onto the post!  He put some foam pieces down so that the forks wouldn't mar the surface and put a blanket on the back...

Then Jim and I carried it out and set it on the forks, with the opening facing towards Jim so that he would be able to see inside when setting it on the post...

Strapping it down...

Moving it down...

The moment of truth - Jim of course was hoping that everything would line up.  It's not easy to make a post with bolts in place down at the end of the driveway, then make the box in the shop and expect everything to work perfectly!

Unfastening his steel place holder that hopefully kept the bolts in the right place...

Putting stainless steel washers on...

Then lifting the box into position...

It's in place and Jim is backing the Bobcat out...

Of course everything lined up perfectly and he attached the hardware...

Leveling...

Perfection achieved!

Jim putting all his weight onto it to show how strong it is!

Looks amazing!!

His stainless steel hardware came today so he was able to get the hinges on.  He put more fasteners in just to keep everything strong...

He switched out the forks for the bucket on the Bobcat and took it back down the driveway to pick up his strap and foam.  He did a little back dragging of the driveway where the treadmill pickup driver had dug in a bit.  

High 45.7/Low 36.2

 

12.29.2022

Jim started installing the door panel in the door frame today - looks beautiful!  He has some special stainless steel hardware on order that he's going to wait for to do final assembly.

Today was our scheduled treadmill pickup.  However, the dispatcher called Jim a few days ago and said that they are so busy they may not be able to work it in.  If not, it wouldn't be until January.  The weather and driveway are good right now, so we kept our fingers crossed that they would come today.  Jim got the treadmill all ready - tied up the deck, wrapped the cord, attached the manual...

Good thing we still have the trusty old treadmill!  Jim moved it back into position so we can use that until the new one comes...

About 3:45, Jim got a call that the drivers were on their way - yay!  Now the next question would be whether they could get up the hill.  Jim told them that he had the Bobcat ready to go in case they couldn't - he had to disconnect the snowblower, go pick up the bucket, and get it ready to go in the driveway.  

But they got up - they said they had a few issues but they did it.  Loading it up...

Once they were gone, Jim had to take the trash down.  They have canceled our last two weeks' pickups because of the weather so we definitely had full bins!

With his remaining time, Jim did some tile cutting - working on the pieces around the receptacle here...

While we were waiting for the truck, just had to take a picture of the sky - sun setting and pink at the horizon with the moon above the trees.  Just never get tired of this view!

High 45.1/Low 22.6

 

12.28.2022

Jim had caulked and sealed all the seams around the door panel, so today he put a coat of paint on the front side...

Beautiful!

Marking more holes for the water lines in the tile...

Jim is so good at doing this meticulous cutting work - and all without breaking any tile pieces!

Wow - looking fabulous!  I told Jim that it's a shame because no one will ever really see how great this looks, but he does such good work no matter what.

End-of-the-day stopping point - looks great!  He ordered some top edge trim that he's waiting for, so he doesn't want to go any higher right now...

Then it's moving the sink back into place and hooking it up once again...

High 32.4/Low 22.6

 

12.27.2022

Mom and I headed out this morning - we did a Home Depot pickup for Jim and a few other errands while we were out.  When we got home, Jim showed Mom the new edge moulding pieces he got for the subway tile... 

These are so cool and will solve the problem of all those tile edges - check out that middle corner piece!

We picked up caulk and paint rollers for Jim so he put a coat of paint on the package drop box door...

While Jim thankfully got most of the tile cutting done when the weather was nice, there will still be some necessary cutting around outlets and plumbing.  Since this is a wet saw, Jim fashioned a shower curtain sort of enclosure around the saw so he can cut in the shop without getting things wet...

Marking where plumbing will go...

He put some more measurement and reference lines on the wall...

There's lots of prep work to be done before tile ever goes on the wall, so Jim spent quite some time getting all his tools and equipment ready, baseboards taped, sink out once again.  But check out how amazing it looks once he got started!

Putting the adhesive on...

Putting the tiny cut piece on first...

Starting on the back wall...

End of the day with sink back in - looking fabulous!

High 29.5/Low 20.4