4.5.2025

 

Happy birthday to my dear handsome husband!  You are definitely my favorite person ever - my rock, my partner - and I'm so beyond grateful to be celebrating another year around the sun with you!  Let's celebrate many, many more!   I love you!

Jim got the MINI off the car dollies this afternoon...

We went and saw my mom before church...

Of course we ended the day with cake and ice cream!  Happy birthday, dear!

High 43.4/Low 38.5 - rainy

4.4.2025

Jim put the first coat of polyurethane on the door block today...

He got the bucket on the Bobcat and all his tools loaded up, so after lunch we could head out to work on the shed.  First job was to set up another section of scaffolding on the left side...

Putting up more platforms...

Once he was able to reach the top, he started putting the clips on the other side of the rafters...

He used the grinder to take off the wings from the steel screws, and then fastened the clip down through the top board...

Putting up the spacer board on top of the wall...

Then starting to work on the gable framing pieces...

He's just holding the spacer board and the gable boards now with screws; he'll go back later and use his nail gun as well.

All the gable framing is up in place - looks great!

High 64.2/Low 46.1

 

4.3.2025

Jim had to make a bottom block to attach the barn door guide to keep the door from swinging when you open or close it... 

Seeing how it works upstairs...

Attaching to the floor...

Then he took the block off and started to stain it...

Jim decided to check the septic system after the winter.  The ground is still soft so he didn't want to bring the Bobcat over if he didn't have to, but the cover wasn't budging without some help.  So he put on his MacGyver hat, brought out one of my wheels, and used it for extra leverage.  It worked like a charm!

 

A sign of spring - bringing out the hose...

Jim was thrilled that the septic tank looked good - spraying off the filter...

Putting the cover back on...

Another sign of spring - the MINI!  Jim moved the tarp and treadmill out of the way and started getting ready to bring out the car...

The car is moved out now!

One more sign of spring - this is the very last snow on the property, behind the house...

High 60.9/Low 33.8

4.2.2025

We had an early morning Ring alert.  National Grid is updating all their electric meters to new, smarter meters.  It was our turn today. 

Walking up to replace the meter - it only took him a couple minutes.

This afternoon, Jim put the big lag bolts through the wood door frame...

The door rail has nice bumpers on both sides to keep the door from hitting the walls...

Putting the rail up...

Fastening it down...

Then it was time to bring the door up!

Attaching the roller hardware to the door...

Yay - it looks amazing!

The open look...

Figuring out placement of the handle was next...

Jim tapes the area to make sure he doesn't mar the door...

Trying out the handle...

Fastening the door handle...

Looks amazing!!  I really love how it all turned out!

So perfect!  Jim still has to put the bottom guide on, but so happy with the way it turned out!

Jim rehung the season picture on the other wall...

High 39.2/Low 25.4

4.1.2025

Or not!  Happy April Fools' Day!  

Jim started doing the painting trim work today...

Trim work done...

Using the roller and feathering around the edges...

All done and drying!

The next step involves cutting a groove in the bottom of the door.  There is a guide that will be attached to keep the door in the right location when opening and closing.  So he got the right bit and his router...

Taped the area so that the router wouldn't scratch the paint...

He has to rout it from both sides in order to get the right width of cut...

All done...

Showing me how the guide will fit in the slot...

Tape off and he put a little paint on the edges...

The bottom element in my toaster oven wasn't working correctly and Jim ordered a new one.  However, they obviously don't want you to open it up; Jim watched a YouTube from a Japanese person that gave the tricks on opening it up.  He got the element replaced and it seems to be working!

High 47.4/Low 34.2