Absent Last Week

Sorry I disappeared last week.  It wasn't planned.  I just didn't get on the computer much.  It was just one day at first, then a 2nd, then a third, etc.  Turned into a whole week.

Nothing wrong; I just got busy around the house and yard.  Catching up on things...  By the time I did lunch, reading the newspaper (lots of stuff to read when you get The Washington Post), doing yardwork, doing house cleanup (I've been slacking on that), recovering from the work, making dinner, some TV, etc. And all of a sudden it is time to get some sleep.

There is always something that has to be done before something else can be done.  I couldn't do much last year after falling off the extension ladder and it is amazing how fast flowerbeds can go "all to hell" in a single year.  

And one sad example was where I planned to plant the heirloom tomatoes.  Too many years in the same spot, and diseases build up in the soil.  So I decided to grow them this year in a new spot.  The last few years, black-eyed susans grew there.  Not my photo, but similar enough.  I have them growing in various places and I have goldfinches.

But I wanted to save them into my developing meadow bed, so I spent time digging them up and moving them.  They are hardy.  After a week, all seem to be re-establishing themselves in the new spots.  That job done, I dug the soil where I wanted to grow the tomatoes.  The spot has an annoying runner-grass, so I had to dig deeply.  I picked out all the runners I could find and then covered the area with black mesh landscaping fabric.

That should smother the runner grass.  But mostly it lets water through the fabric and prevents splash-up from the soil onto the tomato leaves (which could infect the tomatoes).  So, I laid down the fabric, set cages on top for spacing and poked a hole in the fabric to identify where the tomato seedlings would go. Set a small stake in each hole.  Lifted the fabric and dug out a shovelful of soil into a bucket.

Mixed low N (too much nitrogen and you get "all plant no fruit") and some P and K and calcium into the bucket.  Poured the mix back into the hole.  Did that 11 times.  With all the planting spots established, I laid the fabric back down and cut Xs in the planting spots (for setting the seedlings down in later).

Planting the seedling was easy, sort of.  My knees down bend like they used to, so it was (grunt) get down, make a hole in the loose soil, set a seedling in, backfill the hole, set in a label, set in a 2' stake for the seedling to hold on to as it strengthens outdoors, and put a cage over it.  My cages are 6" concrete remesh with a separate stake holding them up.  Storm winds can blow an unstaked cage over. 

11 times.  I was worn out...

Then it was time to clear the flowerbeds.  Too many overgrown shrubs!  Several I planted years ago were described 5' tall and 3' wide.  They were 8' tall and 6' wide.  And sending up shoots from the spreading roots.  They had to go.

It was like hacking a path through a jungle.  The hedge-trimmer worked on the small outer branches, the more larger trunks needed a saws-all with a landscaping blade.

That was a brutal job and it isn't finished yet.  But at least I got it down to where I can cut at the bottom. And pull the parts over the fence.  

Which led to a day of hauling shrub and tree debris to the front yard to fill the 5'x8' trailer as high as I can tie it down safely for delivery to the County mulching site.  They take yard debris and pile it up until it is compost and then give it away for free to any resident with a trailer.  And will fill my trailer with finished compost for free on Saturdays.  So what I bring to them, I get in return.

I filled some deck pots with cheap flowers from Walmart and Lowe's.  It is nice to see flowers on the deck.  I usually grow my own, but I was lazy.

And FINALLY, I topped the trailer with cut brush from several years ago that was sitting in the edge of the lawn in several places.  Pulling the old debris from the vines that grew over them was a real fight, but I think I got them all.  They are all kind of loose and high, but I I will tie them down side-to-side, front-to-back, and diagonally.  I have added eyebolts and clips all around the outside of the trailer, so that gives me good tie-downs.

I'll have them fill the trailer with compost in return.  That will go around the tomatoes and flowerbeds.

And then the fight with the spreading poison ivy and periwinkle will start!  It's always something.  Never mind the wild blackberries that are thriving in the far back yard.  That is next week's problem to attack.

And I have 40 perennial seedlings to plant in the meadow bed.  

I sometimes wonder that I get any sleep at all.  

But I made 

Garden Projects

The fall off the extension ladder really messed me up for this year.  But I am getting back into yardwork.   The immediate problem is invasive weeds from a previous neighbor.  They planted them, they crept into my back yard, and they spread .  My neighbors had an empty back yard, so they just mowed them down (when they realized they were a a problem) every week until they died.

I was not so lucky.  I have flowerbeds.  The vines got in there.  I can't just mow them to death like my neighbors could.  I have pulled them up, but they have deep roots and return.

And I have a few verigated Euonymus shrubs in the flowerbeds that are growing out of control (label said 5' high and 3' wide).  Right.  10' tall and wide is more like it!  And they went all solid green after a few years, so not even much color interest.  I cut them down; they grew back.

Well, it gets worse.  When I first moved here I planted a row of forsythias along the property line (pre-fence).  They are everywhere now!  Cutting them down to the ground doesn't bother them a bit.  They just grow back.  I am nearly at my wit's end between the vines and forsythia!

So it is time for drastic measures (did I mention the poison ivy?).  

I've cut most of the vines to ground level.  I've cut most of the forsythia to ground level.  I've even removed (temporarily) the cat memorial markers.

Iza's is inbetween those now, but I can't find the picture.

But I have been saving large cardbox boxes for a decade.  REALLY large ones.  Like 5' on a side and doubled unfolded.  The memorial garden will be covered with several to smother the cut shrubs and vines and leave a clear space for the markers.

I bought a large roll of black plastic several year ago.  Time to unroll some and cut it to shape to smother the vines elsewhere.  Some collections of desired flowers grow so vigorously, they aren't invaded, so those will be left uncovered.  I have about half the flowerbed to smother though.  The plastic covers will stay there for a year.

It will be ugly.  But I don't see a way around it.  I can dig up a few individual plants surviving among the vines (a single beloved Brunella Frost for example) to move elsewhere.  The Stokes Asters seen resistent to the vines, so they will stay.

But really, I am nearly starting over for 80% of the flowerbed.  Next Fall (assuming the damn vines are actually dead by then) is going to be a busy time.

But I will take a cheerful view.  It's a chance to better this time with new look.  Self-sowing cottage-garden style plants that grow so thickly that they shade out weeds.  Separated by small patches of perennial like Stokes Aster and Autumn Joy Sedums (I love both).  

I WILL make my flowerbeds good again!

But, as I said, it sure will look ugly for a year...  Sometimes you have to mess things up before they get better again.

2005 Toyota Highlander Car

I wanna new car,
Without scratches and dents,
One that looks like it should,
That costs only pence.

I wanna new car.
Electric would be good. 
That could haul a small trailer
And a small boat too.

I wanna a new car,
13 years is quite long
Its starting to die,
And it won't be long.

I wanna new car,
Black was never right.
You can't see that car,
In the dead of night.

I wanna new car,
Another SUV.
The height gets me up
Over headlights, you see.

I wanna a new car,
For the pride, ya'll.
But it has to fit the garage,

And the door's kinna small.

I wanna new car,
Without tech-stuff, ya know.
I don't call when driving,
And I know where I am.

I wanna new car,
One that keeps me alive,
And keeps me protected
In front or behind.

I wanna new car,
Hydrogen's good
But there ain't that stuff
In the neighborhood.

I wanna new car,
But maybe keep what I've got.
Get it detailed and painted,
Let mechanics fix it up.

I wanna a new car,
I could buy one you see.
But this one could last,
Another 10 years and three.

Another Day In The Life, Part 1

So, I decided to renovate the lawn.  That means cutting the grass down to 1",  aerating the lawn, collecting all the grass-clippings so that new seed can reach the ground and get some sunlight, and watering the lawn slightly 2x a day to keep the seeds moist.

I thought I had the timing perfect.  Aerate the lawn with my core aerator (pulls 3"x1/4" plugs of soil out of the ground and deposits them on the surface.  That allows air and water and fertilizer to get deep into the soil, and reduces compaction.

And since I was going to be dragging the aerator across the lawn with the riding mower, I would mow the grass short in a pattern that threw the grass clippings into just a couple of 4" wide rows.

Then I would rake the grass up and save it for the compost pile.  Then spread the grass seed.  The weather forecast was for occasional rain for the next week.  Perfect for the seeds to germinate in 80 degree temps.

Well, that was the PLAN...

The aerator has a tray on the top for putting heavy stuff on the top to make the aerator tubes sink deeply. 

I bought solid cinder blocks for it years ago.  And I added more weight this time (the ground was a bit dry).

No plan works...  As soon as I started (1 pm Wednesday), I discovered the aerator tires were flat and one was tire was off the wheel.  I had to take all the heavy stuff off and raise the end of the aerator off the ground supported by bricks.  Taking off the tire was awkward.  There was one bolt on the outside and 2 on the inside.  Only the farthest inside bolt held by a wrench allowed the outside bolt to be loosened.  With the wheel off, I had to reinflate the tire.

Of COURSE it didn't have a tube inside.  That would have been too easy.  I had to get the tire re-seated onto the metal wheel in order to get any air to stay in it.  I know from past experience that pressure on the outside of the tire can get the tire re-seated onto the wheel.  I spent an hour struggling to do that, to no avail.  Well, I worked at a tire company briefly, and I remembered they had an air-pressurized tube that went around small tires to press the tire to the wheel.  I don't have one of those.  I was dripping with sweat and worn out, so I stopped for an hour.  Drank 3 glasses of water.

When I was cooled down, I tried to think of ways to squeeze the tire onto the wheel.  I have an air pump to add a lot of air through the valve all at once.  With that attached to the valve, I tried twisting a rope around it, and I tried turning a loop of rope with a crowbar.  That didn't work.  I tried putting the tire in my bench vise and using some wood clamps across the tire in 3 directions.  That didn't work.

Damn!  I finally thought of ratcheting straps (like you use to hold a boat to a trailer.  That was awkward.  12' of strap around a 8" tire takes a lot of winding.  And the straps I had only get to 6' short (from 12').  I finally managed to hook the end of the strap at a point where the ratchet would really tighten.

It didn't work.  Well, not the 1st time or the 2nd or the 3rd or 4th.    But eventually, by pounding the sides of the tire with a rubber mallet, the seal finally caught suddenly!  YAY, HOORAY, and HALALULEAH!!!  It caught suddenly and filled...  I couldn't find anything on the tire that said what PSI to fill it, but I went for 12 as that seemed tight but with a slight "give".

So I brought it back outside and put the wheel back on the axle.  Being a sensible type, I also  checked the other tire.  It was at "0" but the bead to the wheel had not broken.  So I dragged the air pump outside and filled it to 12 psi too.

By that time it was 5 pm.  I decided to stop for the day and make dinner.

Thursday, I went all around the yard, aerating and mowing at the same time (very slowly so the aerator tubes could sink into the soil).  Just before I was done, the mower ran out of gas.  Well, I had more gas in the can, so I refilled it.  And then the mower wouldn't start again! 

OK, I guess I put a lot of stress on the riding mower hauling the aerator around with all that weight on it.  But why the mower wouldn't start was confusing.  I'm barely competent with gas engines.  I thought maybe I flooded the carburator.  I decided to stop for the day and I covered the mower with a tarp due to the possibility of rain.

And the next day is tomorrow's post...

The House Next Door

We can't figure out if the house next door to me was purchased as a rental or a primary residence yet.  In one way, there seems to be a lot more contractor work going on than if it was "just a rental", but then we don't know how much work was needed inside after 30 years of several owners.

There have been cabinet contractors, wood flooring contractors, and gutter replacement contractors there. A rather strange and ugly wood railing around the front porch (apparently installed by the bank) was removed and replaced with a vinyl one. 

So, a few things a rental would see and some it wouldn't.  I hope it is someone moving in themselves. 

I hope whover moves in is quiet and has no dogs or teenage children.  That means noise and I have gotten used to the quiet.

I hope they garden.  That way, they might understand why there are a couple of junk trees I would like to see removed (and I'm willing to pay all or most).

I'm not sure of the timing.  If it is someone planning to move in or rent by the end of the month, there isn't much time left.  Any time without a neighbor is good. 

Oh sure, it might be someone I am thrilled to meet, but the odds on that are pretty low. 

I think it is the possibility of a neighbor who is really annoying that worries me.  The previous resident was great.  You could hardly tell he existed.

I learned that the house had been sold for way less than I expected.  Now I really wish I had bid on it.  Any renovations could have been combined with some I plan here at a better price and would have gotten me going with my own.

I'm one of those people who can do what is required for business (like a rental) but will procrastinate for myself, LOL!

Bathtub Area Replacement 4

Finally, the "after" pictures...  It all looks great.

Higher tiles, better showerhead.

I have to repaint though. I can do that part.

They tiled all the way down the sides.  Better than it was before.

 I'm really tired of that pale gold color anyway.  30 years...

But the new bathtub looks great!

I figure white fixtures work with any color wall paint.

I chose a very very light mossy green to paint the bathroom.  It matches the (and I'm almost ashamed to say this as a guy) towels and bathroom mats.  Well, I didn't want bright white paint...

Bathtub Area Replacement 3

I was expecting to show the finished bathtub area, but I discovered I had pictures between the start of the tiling and the completion.  So I'll show those today.

I left off with the start of the tiling...

So then they added the towel bar and completed it.  You can see tile spacers and the tape holding the towel bar in place as the adhesive dried.  I made a mistake when asked about the placement of the towel bar.  I reached up to where I would want to grab the face towel and they drew a line on the wall there.  I meant that that was where I wanted the towel to be, not the bar.  I should have had them put the towel bar itself 2 rows higher.  But I agreed with their marked position, so I have to live with it.

Here is the pipe for the tub faucet and the combination on/off  and hot-cold valve.

And the showerhead pipe (It gets covered - or replaced, I'm not sure which they did)...  The tiles are 2 rows higher than before and a row further  sideways.  And they installed bullnose tiles (rounded over edges) along the top and sides.  That helps avoid wall wetness.

The tiles were well-placed.  There are some tiny imperfections at a corner or two...

But grout hides many slight imperfections.   The grout sealant helps too (and waterproofs the grout as well of course).

Next time, I WILL show the finished look!

Thankful Thursday

1.  The bathroom remodelers completed the work today.  But there are some places where tape is holding trim tight for another whole day, so I will post the "after" pictures next time.

2.  The cats don't have to be locked into the bedroom anymore (well until the next project).

3.  I won't have to set my alarms for 6:30 am tomorrow.  That will be a relief because I kept worrying during the nights that I would sleep through them.  6:30 may not seem early to you,  but I had mine set for 5 am for 35 years, and after 10 years retired, I'm out of the alarm habit.

BTW, I don't actually use alarm clocks anymore.  I use digital kitchen timers.  Since I keep irregular hours these days, I can just push the hour button 9 times, press start, and not worry about what time of day that gets me up.  SO much easier than a real alarm clock.

4.  I have my car back in the garage again (the remodelers were using it for a work area).

5.  With the 6 weeks of nearly constant daily drizzle done, I was able to mow the lawn today.

6.  I felt free to work in the garden again.  I planted my last 4 tomato seedlings, 14' of italian pole beans, 8' of cucumbers, 4 cantaloupe melons, 2 honeydew melons, 2 squash, 6 leeks, 18 corns (10 early and 8 late season).  Harvested my first 6 radishes of the season (wow, even home grown radishes taste better than the grocery store stuff - spicier, firmer).  My snow peas are starting to produce...

7.  To celebrate the remodeling completion, I made a nice dinner.  Delmonico steak, fried potatoes, asparagus with mushrooms, tossed salad, SEVERAL glasses of wine!  And fresh fruit for dessert (plum, peach, apple, grapes, and cantaloupe).

8.  I'm setting the timers tonight for 12 hours.  If I wake up refreshed before that, fine.  If not, well, I have some catching up to do.

9.  After dinner, all the cats were on my chair with me.  They shifted positions a few times, but there was always one on the back and one on each arm.  They were happy to get time outside this afternoon, but they really wanted closeness.  And they got plenty of attention this evening.  And I bet they will almost be surprised not to be locked into the bedroom tomorrow morning!

And, yes, I shared my steak with them...

Bathtub Area Replacement 2

Well, we've gone through 2 more 6 hour visits from the remodels.  Things are going well.  It it easy to think work should go faster, but I hang around enough to see that there is more involved that I thought (or that I thought I was getting in this project).

I'm a relatively good homeowner to work for.  I stay out of the way (but reachable).  I peek in only when the 2 workers are out of the area doing other stuff elsewhere in the house.  The workers are comfortable enough to complain about "SOME" people they have worked around.  I've even provided a couple of tools they didn't have with them.

When they complain about having worked too many days in a row or have some unexpected problem, I commiserate appropriately with personal experiences in D-I-Y (without comparing those to their professional experiences.  When they want to gripe about something (personal or project-related) I listen well and let them talk.

When they ask where the soap dish or towel rack should go, I ask a couple questions about the options and then give them an answer quickly.

So things are going along well.

Friday was demolition and tub replacement/new plumbing day.   The existing tub was the cheapest the builder would provide (surprise, surprise), the tile backer board was the cheapest available, some of the wall studs were misaligned, and the tiles didn't extend as far as the should have.  And the edge tiles were just regular tiles, not the rounded-over tiles (again, no surprise).

One thing remodelers are notorious for is exposing the studs and subfloor and finding "rot and mold", increasing the work (and cost) of the project.  These guys said that all looked fine.  I felt a LOT better about them after that, because I was prepared to fight about it.  I don't know tiling, but I do know wood.

Monday was the installation of new concrete backer boards for the new tiles, and starting new tiles.  They did 80% of that.   There was an issue about the in-tub towel holder.  The manager said he hadn't installed one of those in 10 years ("no one wants them").  But I did, and pointed out that he was supposed to replace what was there.  So he found one.  He had to drive 30 miles to a supplier, but he did.

The tiler was extending the tiles to an edge of the wall, and discovered the wall was bowed inwards slightly.  Not a functional problem, but something that could be noticed.  So he said he could remove and replace the metal corner former (the technical term escapes me).  I asked him to find out the cost.  I was expecting several hundred dollars, it was $75.  Cool...

And they may have regretted the estimate.  The corner form has ~100 holes for nailing in the form, and (according to the tile guy) "some crazed lunatic used every single one".

Today, they finished the tile.  That last 20% was a lot of detailed tile-cutting work as they installed the towel bar and the couple rows of tiles above it, bullnose (rounded) tiles along the edges, and even down the outside edges of the tub down to the floor.

Tomorrow is the grouting between the tiles.  Thursday is the application of a grout sealer, inspection, and final payment.  I can hardly wait.  The cats will be thrilled, too.

Bathtub Area Replacement

First, getting up at 7 am to be ready for the demolition crew was a novel experience.  Second, getting the cats stashed away into a safe room was only a partial success.  Third, no renovation work ever goes smoothly.

I managed to get up on time, fed the cats, and went to get them into the bedroom.  I called them and Marley and Iza came right in.  Ayla was not so cooperative,  sensing that "something" was up.  I know better than to chase a cat, I just follow slowly.  But she was ducking from room to room and upstairs/downstairs until she was upstairs and I wasn't sure where she was.  I figured she was either in the Mews Room or the Computer Room, so I just closed both doors.  It turned out she had to be hiding in the Living room somewhere.  I swear that cat could hide in a coffee mug!  But since she stayed in hiding and didn't try to run out through the frequently opened front door, all was fine. 

The bathtub area demolition was impressive.  I took a LOT of pictures for possible insurance reasons, but I will only inflict a few of them on you.

The before shot shows the mess.  When the tiles began to come loose, I duct-taped plastic around the front and side, not realizing how bad it was getting behind the plastic.  And under that situation, tub-cleaning seems to have fallen off my schedule.

So, they went in and just started pounding the tiles and backer board into pieces.  Well, the plastic was more waterproof than the tiles were!

Bathroom renovators are notorious for finding "more repairs needed" when the backer boards are removed.  These guys said everything looked mold-free and no rot.  I looked at it and agreed.  I don't know tiles, but I know about wood.  So they vacuumed all the dust and debris.

And started to replace the backer board.  It is a special concrete and laminate product that basically can't rot.  So was the original stuff, but after 30 years, the modern product is better.

Next, they installed the new tub and covered the inside with padding and plastic.  And it was a good thing they did!  Because after that, they constructed and installed the new pipes.  I wasn't thrilled to see them using a plastic pipe, but they assured me that it is better than copper pipe.  "Not one failure in 10 years and it sheds mineral deposits that can collect in copper pipe with hard water".

Well, I have soft water, but if the cemented plastic holds better than soldered copper, OK...   BTW, the first day I moved in here 30 years ago, I tasted the water and decided it was the best municipal water I had ever tasted!

So then we had a few "adventures".  The first was a pipe cap blowout.  You see that copper pipe sticking out over the tub?  There is a temporary pipe cap.  The Senior Repairman said they are called "shark valves" because once on, they never come loose until you want them to come loose".

So guess what came loose?  Right!  The shark valve...  The assistant went running to the door shouting at Senior guy that "the water is on".   Well, yeah, it had been turned back on, but I realized he suddenly didn't WANT it to be on, so I ran into the basement (bad knee and all) and crawled into the access where the whole-house shut off valve was and closed it.

That apparently saved about 50 gallons of water pouring out the open tub into the basement.  And I stuck a bucket under the leak. 

They were very apologetic.  Those caps "never fail".  Well, until they do, of course.  At least I got some credit for fast-action!  The assistant is not the brightest bulb in a room of lamps, he meant "water is flowing and it shouldn't".  I had noticed the senior guy mad jokes about the assistant (his BIL) and I had joined in slightly, but I stopped after that.

But, no harm was done.  The plastic in the tub caught most of it and my bucket caught the rest.  The senior guy was really pissed off, but I joked "that was fun, let's do it again". 

After they vacuumed up the water and replaced the plastic lining with a dry one (and made sure I saw they were using a brand new pipe "shark valve" cap), they proceeded with the job with the water turned back on. 

Then the second little "adventure"...The last backer board to be installed was the one that fits over the tub faucet and shower valve.  That takes very precise cut-outs.  And senior guy cut it wrong!    Oh wow, did the assistant have a relieved turn with that.  I had noticed the the senior guy just wrote the cutting dimensions randomly on a piece of paper.  Well, I suppose when you have been doing something for 38 years (as he said he had), you know where your numbers are. 

Oops, he got the left and right measurements reversed..  No problem for me, it's a fixed price contract (and the senior guy did mention that it comes out of company expenses.

I mentioned to him that when I put wood paneling in the basement, I had been careful to use a huge piece of cardboard from a bookcase box to make sure I cut it right.  Ans then traced that onto the wood paneling so that I COULDN'T get in wrong.  And got it wrong ANYWAY because I put the cardboard on the wrong side of the panel.

True story, but it did lighten up the situation...  The last thing I want are angry embarrassed workers doing work in my house.  I've done enough house work myself to know that when you get mad, you don't do your best work! 

So senior guy cut out another concrete backer board panel and it fit like a glove. 

They return on Monday to install the bathtub fixtures and do the tile installation.

Ayla, Iza, and Marley recovered quickly.  Food helped, attention helped, deck time helped.  quietness helped.  But I bet I will have to get sneakier about getting them shut into the bedroom Monday morning.  At least the final work is quieter...

Renovating The Flowerbed

They HAD to go!  Two Eunonymous shrubs I've had for 20 years...  I liked them, but what was "supposed" to be "5 feet high and 3 feet wide" was 8 feet high and 6 feet wide.  And started to get invasively sending up shoots all around the flowerbed. 

The remaining parts will get chainsawed soon and the shoots dug out.

They were evergreen and variegated, which was nice, but there comes a time when too much is just too much.   They will be replaced with Butterfly Bushes and Nandina.  And space for annual Sunflowers.

They will add to my compost pile.  But it does give a chance to redo the fence background.

I have several in other spots.  They are "polite" neighbors there either.  They will go soon too.  But on the chance that I will find a good spot for cuttings, they will stay for now.  I'm thinking they would be a VERY good privacy border along the drainage easement in the front yard.  And since they are nearly impossible to kill (but don't spread much unless pruned), they may find that a wonderful permanent spot.

Everything has a place, even if not where originally placed.