7/16/2024 Lily Poplar

Late afternoon, July 16, 2024 there was a ‘straight line storm’ that blew through here made a mess in the backyard (as well as all of East Fallowfield).

I was watching the rain from the bedroom window, it was going in so many different directions that you couldn’t see anything more than a few feet away, but I heard the crack. I couldn’t even see it, but I thought it was only a branch…I was wrong! The lily poplar was DOWN! I am glad it didn’t fall towards the house or take out the neighbors chicken coop/condo. Chasing chickens around in a lightening storm would NOT have been much fun!

A few minutes later, Jen was checking the tree out front when I heard the second crack. A BIG branch from the maple tree snapped and took out some of the ‘roses of sharon’ hedges between us and the Wilson’s house

The electricity was out until 3:30pm 7/18/2024…some hoses were still without power on Saturday the 20th. We worked by generator and ‘hot spot’…what a pain in the ass that was! I had my laptop ready to go, but still needed docs from the hard drive attached to my PC…everything took way longer than I wanted. My vacation started on Friday and I went to pick up Becky at the airport, so cleanup will have to wait! I ordered a Worx 10″ chain saw…this is the brand of all of my tools…same battery for everything. (I may borrow my friend, Ronnie’s 16″ gas chainsaw for the final push, we shall see!)

On July 23rd, I went out and started the clean up of the maple tree since it fell into the neighbors yard. They also had a branch drop from their big tree and brought in a tree guy to clean it up….even the stuff from our tree that fell on their side. They asked us if we wanted to have them clear out our side too, but I really like being outside and this is a perfect excuse 🙂

I spend a few hours cutting things down to a more manageable size so that I can get some burnt and some to the curb for the Aug 5th monthly yard cleanup pickup. (So many rules, cant be longer than 6 feet or 4 inch circumference, it needs to be off the property line (so in the street) and it cant take longer than 15 minutes to pick up or they charge $30/15 minutes.) I still need to decide if I will cut the bigger stuff and split it. After I have the fireplace inspected in the family room, I may burn it there. Or if I need to find a place that will take it…don’t need to decide that now!

More pictures to come as I clear it out!

The garage and the shed have been the ‘drop all’ for everything that doesn’t have a place, since the day we moved in it’s been a chore trying to move around in there let alone get organized.

The garage is my “she-shed”…so far, I have added the shelves on the left, the workbench, the shelves over the workbench and a retractable extension cord from the ceiling. As far as the ‘organization’ of it, it is an ongoing project! I really need to figure out how to get everything OFF of the workbench so I can use it!

The shed, I had started with shelves on the right and shelves on the left, but it felt a little too claustrophobic…I want to eventually put the riding mower and the push mower in there (not sure that’ll all fit AND the bikes!

Finally completed the powder room. It feels like it took forever! There are a couple minor things that still need to be done, but for the most part, I love the final outcome!

With everything happening around the house, we still need to play. So when my co-worker told me that he had a slot to play the organ at Longwood Gardens, we got tickets!

I need to keep reminding myself on a daily basis of a few things.

I can only complete one thing at a time. Whatever isn’t a P1 priority doesn’t have to be done right now. I need to lightened up on myself and stop beating myself up for not getting it all done. Most important, HAVE FUN!

The frustration comes in when I need “one more thing” to do the next step! I have gotten so much better at thinking it all through, but there is always going to be something.

Another trip to Lowes or HomeDepot to get that one thing…or worst, to return/exchange something that is broken/defective! The drive to Lowes or HD is alot further than it used to be. (Good thing it’s a beautiful drive!)

work, there is always something that can keep me at my desk! I need to get better at starting later and hard stops at the end of the day!

And for those moments that I have time, I need energy!

Time for a party!

before we moved…maybe March 2023, I bought myself a small sketch book! I have done this off and on over the years and end up with a blank sketch book (that one of the kids end up getting)….but for some reason, this one was different, I started drawing again. Nothing serious, just few things here and there. Whatever inspired me…

I have been trying different mediums, but I always find myself going back to graphite.

When it was time to move and I started going through all of my older drawings and started feeling a bit under talented, so I shoved the drawings all in a box (and I thought I threw away the box before the move). But I found them today and thought I would show them off a little! These drawings are from high school and after and not very ‘protected’!

footers…inspection…framing…inspection…decking…inspection

March 17th “J & V Patio” started, they moved and broke down the cement steps (they were not even attached to the house) and dug the holes for the footers (total of 14), now we have to wait for the inspectors to come out and measure.

While we wait for the township, the deliveries start…wood, cement, lattice, and deck hardware

March 21st, Inspection done! There was an extra footer hole that was needed but not on the plan submitted to the township. The paperwork will need to be updated and also kept on-site. But construction can begin!

This whole thing started with trying to get someone to come out and give me an estimate for fencing for the dogs! I don’t want to have to worry about cleaning up or stepping in shit every time I step in the yard! I started on Angie’s list, this was my first mistake! I had to fill in a survey…not a problem, except 1) I wasn’t sure how big or the exact location of the fence…I didn’t have the vision! 2) the site would not let me see fencing until I put in the next project on the list. The only thing that would make sense is the deck! I got 3 deck estimates in a week, and NOT 1 fencing estimate!

That ended up being ok because it makes more sense to add the deck and then the fence around it. I didn’t like either of the estimates, so I was in a place where it may have to be done next spring. So I went on next door and asked about fencing. I got 3 responses there, but 2 of them were to “help” me do the fencing. Strictly laborers! But the 3rd guy, Jose owned a deck and patio company, so I called him, he and his partner Victor came over and took some measurements. We talked about alot of the ‘projects’ around here (including the oil tank replacement)…these guys may be around here alot over the next few years! Their deck estimate was more normal than the 2 Amish guys that gave us estimates, and J&V will also do the fencing after the deck.

When they gave us the estimate, we were also dealing with the oil tank replacement…and I wasn’t ready to put out that kind of money all at once. After many conversations with Jen, we decided to do the deck/fencing because we need a WANT or we’re going to start feeling like the house is a money pit!

Victor said that I can help and get my hands dirty! we start the 16 footers at 8am!

There are before pictures…I just need to figure out which device they reside on!

Demo! My favorite part…besides the finished product 🙂

New sub-flooring

it’s starting to look good!

still need to install the vanity and the sink, had to return the original because the porcelain was cracked…I just hope the new choice works with the floor!

I also need to cut the new radiator cover…bought a new saw for this…because the covers are expensive and I don’t screw it up! If we like the cover, we will start changing them out around the house!

This is what a brand new “hydronic baseboard heating element” looks like…copper pipe through aluminum slats. The pipe heats up and the slats hold the heat until air flows up from the bottom and pushes the heat out.

needless to say…these slats should be pretty straight…this is what is in the bathroom now. It is recommended to use popsicle sticks to make the as straight as possible! (there is not enough caffeine in the world to make me want to do this!)

Another strange thing about this bathroom….when you see it, you will know