6.5.2020

Jim trimmed the Formica on the adjustable shelves this morning...

All trimmed!

Then he started cutting the rails and styles for the next cabinet...

 All cut...

The first coat of polyurethane on the bottoms of the shelves...

In the afternoon, we headed back down to the end of the driveway so that Jim could grade off the old rock pile area we've been working on...

Making good progress...

Scooping up the excess dirt.  He took it up to our pile by the turnaround - we will eventually use that to build up the area next to the side of the auto bay...

Wow - no more rock pile - looks so good and will be so nice when you first come into the driveway to have that gone!

Then we spent some time working in the woods to the side and back of the carriage house.  Jim used the trimmer and I used the shears for the bigger stuff.  Makes for a cleaner look out the windows!

High 82/Low 62

6.4.2020

I went into Saratoga today for a few errands and picked up more cabinet paint at Lowe's while I was out.

Jim got the Formica glued on the adjustable shelves...

And started glueing wood together to make the last cabinet on the back wall of the kitchen!

After lunch, we were on rock duty.  The goal today was to work on getting rid of the big pile of rocks by the end of the driveway that has been there since we first dug the trench for the electric line!  Rather than just scooping them up with the bucket and getting all the dirt along with them, we just filled up the bucket by hand...

The ones we didn't want to keep, Jim put on the wall down at the end of our property...

Picking up more rocks...

Some we used to fill in areas on the rock walls by the driveway...

Adding more rocks to the wall on the street side by the driveway...

We also took some up to the original stone wall in the middle of the driveway.  I did have to scream at Jim at one point when we were working here because there was a giant (really, giant!) snake slithering through the rocks.  Jim make have a different opinion because he said it was just a garter snake (but it was huge - ha!).

Doing a little grading to turn over more rocks...

Moving a fallen tree out of the pile...

Wow - what a huge difference we made!  Jim had brought this pile of dirt down to fill in this area so once he gets it filled in and graded, it's going to look fabulous!

High 81/Low 60

6.3.2020

It was one of those days.  Jim spent so much time composing emails and talking on the phone trying to get answers to his concrete etching questions.  When he went down to the auto bay this morning, he's just not thoroughly convinced that the concrete is etched enough.  It is in places, but it also looks blotchy in others.  He just hates to proceed on to the expensive epoxy steps without being 100% confident that he's done all he can to make sure it will stick and be durable.

He contacted his rep at this company this morning; she asked for pictures and a complete description of the process he took.  Of course, Jim did everything exactly as stated in all their technical literature.  He watched their videos, talked to their reps, used the same sprayer - he was completely prepared!  He finally talked to the rep again who said she was going to talk to the head technician.  And of course that involved waiting again.  When the head technician called back, he really didn't have any better information but he confirmed Jim's approach - he is ordering more etching product and will do it again at a higher concentration ratio.  Hopefully the product will come in Friday or Saturday - early next week looks like perfect epoxy weather.  But this step has to be done well so it will happen when it does!  At least now we have a plan in the works.

Jim did manage to get other projects done in between - he worked on sizing the adjustable shelves...

He brought one up to try it out - it's going to be so nice to have all this extra space!

He got a coat of polyurethane on the shelves...

He got some trimming done outside as well.

6.2.2020

It's been so nice and cool here - the heat even came on this morning for a bit!  Kind of crazy for the beginning of June but we like it!

Jim had to do some paperwork at his desk this morning as well as getting our scanner to work after it mysteriously stopped seeing the server.

When he headed to the workshop, he continued working on my two adjustable shelves - sanding...

Then glueing on the other piece of maple edging...

He also made more flashing for the brick/soffit area...

Then in the afternoon, it was time to start etching the concrete in preparation for the epoxy finish.  Jim donned his special respirator and started mixing the acid into the water...

Then poured it into the plastic sprayer...

And started spraying the auto bay!

After it was sprayed, he used the broom to scrub it in...

Then we mixed the neutralizer - ammonia and water - and put it into the metal sprayer...

Spraying the neutralizer...

He broomed that in as well and then did two washings...

Brooming off the standing water in between...

Then finally power spraying the floor...

Those two bays were done so it was time to move over into the pole barn to do the section where the Bobcat sits...

Neutralizing...

Hosing off...

And finally power washing...

Whew - that was a lot of work!  But if it works, it's all worth it.  Jim is deferring judgment on how well it etched until it dries - we'll assess it tomorrow.

After doing lots of clean up, he still had energy to do a little lawn mowing.

High 64/Low 53

6.1.2020

I sure hope that June is a better month for our country and world, but it isn't starting out that way.   Not much we can do but continue to pray.

On Angel, the world is still quiet and peaceful.  Jim worked in the shop this morning on the shelves...

 He did the tongue and groove millwork to put the maple edges on...

 Glueing pieces together...

The bigger shelf in the glueing stage...

Jim also worked on making more flashing to go on top of the brick where it meets the soffit to cover any potential cracks where mice can get in.

The hard rain we had on Friday night caused a little erosion in the driveway so Jim did some repair work this afternoon before switching to cutting some grass.

I had to make a quick trip to the post office today - there were four different families of geese each with lots of little goslings!

High 60/Low 43