Perfect Timing

Remember that Christmas when you were sick as a dog and spent the day on the couch wishing you could play with your new stuff.  Spencer is having that Christmas.  He claims he didn't throw up in the middle of the night (that was actually night before last) or keep his parents up most of the night (that was last night) but eye witnesses tell it differently. 

Sister Molly was ready to start the day a little before five thirty but mean parents made her wait until after seven.  She is really into reading and Grandpa is trying to get her to start a journal, that will insure that all the really mean things her parents do are documented.  She is just starting cursive at school so I figure it will take hold with proficiency.

Anyway, the day finally got under way till Spencer slowed down and a quick check showed he had a 103 temp.

Meanwhile, Mom got what she wanted.

And we found out that all of Grandma's knitting fit.

Both are wearing two hats and scarves.

Then Spencer went downhill, peaking at a 105 temp.  Even Higgens couldn't cheer him up.

In just an hour or so Mom and Dad got some Ibuprofen in him and a cool bath around him bringing it down to 103.  Right now he is back to singing and playing so looks like the worst is over.

Got to finish up Sound of Music and get into Avengers yet tonight.

Been getting wrong number Christmas greeting texts, so I finally told someone's mother-in-law "Thanks, but I'm a Pastafarian".  She was confused but wished me well anyway, so the least I could do was return the sentiment.

One more day to wrap it all up and get on down the road.  Clear and cold out, 16 degrees. 

Update, Spencer is down to 99 degrees and announcing that he is all better.

Stay warm.

Twas The Night Before Coal

Not snowing yet but supposed to be soon.  Teri, Amy and the kids are snuggled up watching The Sound of Music.  We have watched Iron Man, Thor and Captain America over the past week; you know, all the usual Christmas classics.  Next is The Avengers then on to The Hobbit.  Amy and Derek went to The Hobbit last week to preview it and decided the kids can wait a while but Amy and grandpa could go to the to the 3D version after Christmas.

Got the hot tub steps to a stopping point, so I stopped.

Took about as much framing as I thought.  Would have used more but ran out of room.

I think I can find some good 1x8 for risers that completely fill the space so the plan is to replace them on the next go around. 

Grandma has been cooking up a storm the rest of us eating up a storm.  The grand children have been perfect.  One time, a long time ago, we put a lump of coal in Ryan and Amy's stockings as a joke.  There were real stocking fillers which we brought out after the initial shock passed but Amy still claims it was child abuse.  I figure her trials and tribulations paved the way for her children growing up stress free.  Small price to pay for perfect grand children.

Gotta go and prepare the casserole for breakfast tomorrow.

Stay jolly.

Getting There

There was a Peter Sellers movie made in 1979 "Being There".  I feel like most of my projects are at least a little comedic and most of the time is spent just getting there.  I'm hoping this one gets there before we are scheduled to leave.

The project is to design and build a small (18" tread total 44" rise) circular staircase around a six foot cedar hot tub.  No attachment to tub is allowed and the whole kit & caboodle will be moved next summer.  No problem.

My plan was to build 5 tread supports which look like this.

Then I cheated by attaching some 2x4s to the beams under the tub with a couple of screws that could be removed later for the move.  Now comes the fun part.  Simply support each step in it's proper place and secure them to each other so that an elephant could use them to get into the tub.

 Notice each step covers two of the 2x6 tub perimeter boards.  Notice also that by the time I get to the top (three more steps) I will be running out of slab.  That's when it will get interesting.  The engineering department is still working out the details.  I am pretty sure it will involve a LOT of framing.

I think it would have been easier to start with a tree nine feet in diameter and cut out a four foot section and have at it with a chain saw.

I cheated again by attaching two more 2x4s to the supports (once again with accessible screws) to keep the whole thing in town.  There will be a skirt around it all of 1x6s; 1x8s would have been a better size (something about radials getting farther apart the further out from the center, I suspect it has something to do with the Mayans) but good cedar in the size you want is hard to find.  I did find stainless steel brad nails for attaching the skirt in only one place in town, Woodcrafters and they are only about 35 times more expensive than galvanized.

As you may guess, it will support the elephant but the move will be interesting.  We lost one outside day to snow but the forecast looks good with only a chance of snow on Christmas, so stay tuned as we are scheduled to hit the road again on the 27th.

Stay warm and enjoy the children.

Finally to Work

Planning to add some steps and a small seat around Amy & Derek's new hot tub.  Seen here after final installation.  The plan is to move it to a new slab with an equipment enclosure  next summer.

First, I conned Amy and Derek into spending all of Sunday emptying out the garage then repacking it and leaving me some room to work.  Here is the mini shop, where I can stay warm and dry.

Just a few hours earlier this space was solid boxes and whatever.  The piece of plywood is a full scale plan view drawing of the hot tub with the steps and support framing.  It is a real pain figuring out what amounts to a circular staircase but it should look good when done.

Ran up to Evergreen for breakfast with Jim Browne, his daughter Amiee and friend Marcella.

Looks like snow here soon, weather back in Soldotna sounds perfect, -20.

More soon as I have something to show for my efforts.

Stay warm.

In Denver

No photos yet, will work on that.

Made Denver with time to spare and no adventures to report.

Grand kids are still crazy cute.  As I remember, the brain damaged state doesn't set in until puberty.  I'll work on messing with their minds a bit for the next few weeks.  They are working at messing with mine.  I believe I detect the hand of my daughter in that.

In the 50's today forecasted sunny for Sunday on.

Remember the real reason for the season. 

Axial tilt!

In Boise

Just had an amazing dinner with John & Mary at a place called Toucanos in Boise. A Brazilian grill where after the biggest salad bar ever (complete with quail eggs) they keep bringing by skewers of everything from honey glazed pineapple to garlic steak (my favorite).  It keeps coming until you beg for respite. Quite a few kabobs of things I'd never thought could be done that way.  All delicious!

On to somewhere in Wyoming tomorrow.

Check out the speed of your connection on the gadget I added below.  I thought it was cool.

Small front passes through tonight, should be just windy the rest of the way to Denver.

Stay warm & dry.

OK, On With The Show

Just got back from Portland. Saw the Washington Klein family and got, hopefully, enough grand kid fix to last until March. No way! Louis is rapidly moving up the walking and talking learning curve.

He really knows how to turn on the charm. It's good to be cute.

He has a favorite band.  Anyone recognize them?

Their childhood will be documented.

Here's a link to a Louis video
And another

Tomorrow we shut down the house and head out for Denver via Boise.

Weather's perfect here and looks like it will hold at least till Boise.

Stay warm.

Editorial Note

Made some editorial changes to the blog:

Only showing the last two postings.  The rest are accessible via the archive at the bottom of the page and there is also a search feature (within the blog).

Removed Gadgets from the right side so they wouldn't overlay the first photo if it was landscape orientation.

Slight edit to profile.

Since I can't seem to post on a reliable schedule, I added email notification link at bottom.

House is about ready for winter.  Time to get us packed and on the road.  Details to follow.

Stay warm.

Wrapping Up Projects

The last project until spring is the dust control for the table saw.

It does a good job of delivering the suction to the place where the dust is generated, if not in the most elegant manner.  I could do that with the $450 attachment, but that just doesn't seem right.

The whole overhead portion pivots to allow the garage door to open.  So technically, the garage will still hold the big truck.  You might have a fine time getting out once you drove in but it will fit.

The last foot of the system is the most difficult.  I'll revisit the whole system when we get back in March.  Right now there are two vacuums involved and turning it all on is a bit tedious.

Meanwhile, the knitting also draws to a conclusion. But you know it will still be going strong after we hit the road.  There is always something needing knitting.  We've got till next Thursday to wrap it all up then it is back on the road.

I guess the coast is getting hammered with rain.  Here all we got was wind and a little overnight rain.  Otherwise, the weather remains perfect.

Stay dry.