Month: April 2011 (Page 1 of 2)

We did some work at the new house today. It was raining, so we couldn’t really do any yard work, much as there is to get done, so we finished cleaning out the little shed in the back, taking another load to the dumps, and finding the final bag of clothing to wash and get sorted. When we had the shed empty and swept, we put in all the stuff the grandkids use when they come — the bikes, car, bouncing horse, etc, as well as the new basketball hoop, wading pool, etc that we found here. That cleared out a lot of space in the garage, so we began organizing that. We got some new shelves put up, mostly. Then we worked on the water and, ta-da, we now have running hot and cold water and a toilet that flushes. Yea! Now we don’t have to run home every few hours. I also started taking down doors and door trim.

At this house, we have the bathroom all ready for the plumber who is coming Tuesday, we hope. We decided to go with a corner toilet and a regular wall hanging sink. They look like they will fit just fine, with enough room to move from one to the other. The door will open out, which gives a bit more room inside. Dad still has to do some wiring and run the vents up there, but he didn’t want to do that today. Maybe tomorrow.

Plants in my new greenhouse.                                    Concrete seagull in front garden

Robin’s nest on wreath outside.                                        Grandkid toys in shed.

Today was the first of 5 days that I am off work in these two weeks (10 days of work.)  Today I had the spring training for senior center directors over in Stevens Point. It was really good. I learned a lot about how law enforcement and senior center directors are working together on such things as car safety checks, prescription drug abuse, etc. I also learned about how the Greater Wisconsin Area Agencies on Aging group can partner with senior centers to provide better services for senior citizens. Plus, we had a great soup and sandwich lunch. I left at 5:15 this a.m. and got home at about 5:45 this evening. Long day.

Tomorrow I go to Eau Claire for an all day training to get re-certified as an Arthritis Foundation Exercise Instructor. I originally got certified three years ago. I don’t expect a lot has changed, but apparently some of it has, which is why I have to go all day for a re-certification.

Next week I’m gone Wednesday through Friday, but I’ll talk about that next week!

It has been a pretty ordinary week, coming off a very hectic couple of weeks. So it has been nice. Monday, when it was gorgeous outside, I did some raking and got the close back yard done, as well as the side yard with all the peonies. I also repotted my plants that were under the grow light and moved them across the street to the green house.  Unfortunately it got cold, so some of the leaves look a little frosted, particularly on the pumpkins, squash and gourds. But I think they will make it.

Yesterday the yard was under water again, because of the rain. It is hard to tell about today, but I’m hoping for a little sun after I get home. Another bike ride would be really nice.

This is a short list of what I accomplished yesterday on my great day off:

• Cleaned kitchen, including washing cupboard fronts, top of fridge, side of stove, behind the cannisters, etc.
• Clean out the fridge
• Put away all the excess stuff around the edges of the rooms
• Swept and scrubbed with my new spray bottle mop
• Cleaned the bathroom
• Pulled the treads off the stairs and mopped them by hand
• Found the bedding for twin beds and washed it all
• Washed and folded 4 more garbage bags of clothes from the new house
• Washed all the rugs
• Cleaned the entryway
• Cleaned all the junk off the porch, where Dad had left it
• Cleaned all the junk out of the yard, where Gary and Dad have left it
• Went for two 10 minute walk/runs and one 20 minute walk/run.
• Decided on the menu for the weekend and went to Chetek to go shopping and get the mail
• Went to church for Good Friday Service
• Collapsed and watched Date Night. I thought it was great! I also ate a dish of ice cream we’d bought for Ethan’s party tomorrow.

Altogether a good day. Today they arrive. I still have to:

• Wash and fold our laundry
• Finish drying all the rugs and put them down
• Make up all the beds with the freshly washed bedding
• Wrap the birthday presents
• Dust and straighten the guest room
• Get our bedroom clean enough for guests
• Re-sweep and mop the floors, since its muddy and we have a dog….

Better get at it!

I’m off work today, so I want to get a lot done. I have my list up on my laptop and am ready to begin, actually right now, since it’s 8:00. I’ll report later what all I got done!

I cleaned all the tools and building supplies out of the new bedroom today and vacuumed really well and put the curtain back up and set up the beds and we are now ready for company!! I still have to clean the house, but I’m on vacation Friday, so I’ll have plenty of time.

The concert tonight went really well – a lot of fun! And I only ate two small bars. Really small, actually. I allotted myself 6 points, and I think I was well within that. So I actually earned myself a gold coin today. Yay!

Whew, I think it is mostly no snow. A few flurries, but they aren’t really amounting to much. Still, it is cold enough to snow, which isn’t all that welcome in April. But I see by the forecast that warmer weather is on it’s way by Easter. Maybe even 60!

This week is mostly getting things ready for the Winsted Fritzes this weekend. We want the yard at the new house to be kid-friendly, which has taken quite some doing. But it is pretty much done – we were hurrying to beat the snow, so that when the snow melted on Friday, the yard would be clean. But we also need to clean up the work site in the upstairs of this house, which we started working on tonight. It isn’t done, but it is coming along. And it is only Tuesday, so we should make it by Saturday.

Tomorrow is another New Auburn choir concert in the evening, then the final one is Sunday evening in Chetek. I really enjoy the concerts, just wish my feet didn’t go to sleep!

I am so glad it is finally Saturday. This was my week (of course, I worked every day, too):

Monday – rehearsal at 7:00 for the Red Cedar Choir concert Thursday. First time ever with the soloists that he brought in from the Twin Cities. They were great, but most didn’t know their music all that well and it was our only rehearsal, so we were there late!

Tuesday – a.m. go to high school for Roselawn program dress rehearsal; evening: Roselawn program. It was fantastic!

Wednesday – lesson, then to church for Lenten service, after which I practiced with a flute player who is playing with a hymn on Sunday, then practice with the choir they pulled together for Easter Sunday. Home and practiced piano some more.

Thursday – ran home after work to do my hair and get my clothes, etc. Then lessons 2:30 – 5:30. Then to Rice Lake to grab a bite. Then practice with soloists at 6:30, warm up choir and run through trouble spots on their music at 7:00, and practice more with the soloists who arrived late, and hope that the director arrives from his day in Madison by 7:45 (which he did- whew!), then concert at 8:00. The concert went great, although not flawlessly. But when do they ever?

Friday – rehearsal at Cameron Elementary from 12:30 – 3:00, then a little shopping (I got a couple twin sized air mattresses). Home and run through music, then shower and dress. Called Luke and caught up with their progress toward the big move. Dress rehearsal at 7:30 for New Auburn choir, then up to Rice Lake to play piano for a fund raiser dinner. I was supposed to be playing at about 9:00 or so, for 45 minutes. It ended up to be about 9:45 – 10:45, which meant I needed more than I had prepared, but I just played songs from that music Jason copied from the internet when he was here. Beautiful and not too hard, fortunately. So I didn’t get home until about 11:30.

What a week! Today we are working on the upstairs some more, and I’m about to start laundering more of the clothes we found over there. Then tonight I have to drive to Menomonie by 6:30 for a New Auburn community choir concert there at 7:30. By the time I drive home it will be late. Tomorrow is another concert, but it is right here in New Auburn and is at 3:00, so tomorrow I plan to finish watching Tangled!

Got the subfloor on. Got the wall at the head of the stairs framed and the walls of the bathroom framed. Last picture shows the little area at the head of the stairs with the smaller (much smaller) window.

They really got a lot done. We still have to make a higher railing, because we aren’t going to keep that low railing. We decided just to make one that can be unscrewed when we need to take it off to move things up or down, just like we have been doing with this one. Every work day it gets taken off, then put back on at the end of the day!

Today Gary and Dad are working on the rooms at the head of the stairs. They are putting down underlayment first, then sheetrocking the south wall, then putting the stud walls for the 1/2 bath in, as well as at the head of the stairs (We thought it was too dangerous without a wall there). That should about use up the day. Then Dad will have to run all the wiring before the rest of the sheet rock can go up. We may get it done before Easter, yet! But Dad also has to finish the taxes before Friday.

As for me, I’m washing loads of laundry from the new house. There are bags and bags and bags of clothes. I can’t see throwing them out, but they’ve been outside in various storage sheds, so I’m washing it all. If I find anything really nice that will fit someone, I’ll keep it. So far I’ve found a nice Nike wind jacket that will fit me! And some button down type shirts that would fit Ethan. I have a whole load of little girls stuff in the washer now, so who knows what I’ll find in there once it is all clean!? (But I won’t save anything that isn’t really nice.)