Best Life

 Happy 28th birthday Kevin!  May your day be exceptional and that you know how proud we are!  28 years ago I was denying that I was in labor and raking leaves in the backyard.  While in labor I watched (and cried laughing) Rudy Galindo skate to "Send in the Clowns".  I highly recommend this performance for anyone trying to ignore labor pain!  How blessed are we!                                                                                Christmas 2011 Today Paul and I managed to be outside and installing strapping just after sunrise.  The forecast - snow by 10am.  Of course they were wrong again!  Snow began by 830a!  Thankfully we had completed the straps and only needed to cut 4 lengths of steel for ro...

  Today our plan was to begin installing the strapping.  Metal straps woven between the purlins on the roof and the girts on the sides of the building to increase stability.  When complete, we will have woven 300 feet of this thick metal strapping.   The day was cold.  Very cold.  With almost two inches of fresh snow on the ground and slab.  And windy.  Very windy.  Temps were in the low teens with feel like temps in the single digits.  Winds at 10mph with gusts to 30mph.  (Bad for the guy high on the ladders!)  I gave up my tee shirt for a long sleeved shirt.  Added another pair of socks, another pair of leggings and another pair of gloves.  Ugh.                                               It took three ladders of varying heights and moving them       ...

  Lots of sun today!  Lots of snow squalls intermittent through the day!  Lots of wind with gusts up to 30 mph!  High temp = 22!  Feel like = 11!   We started our day bright and early to take advantage of the sun.  First task - get the 3rd eave strut in place over the front left side (above the windows).  I am grateful we did the heavy lifting first!  Before muscles began to protest or freeze! After a quick break to warm our fingers and toes - we started on the bracing.  Of course they are all different sizes with different tags.  After a bit of puzzling - we got it done! I was pure ground crew today.  Because of the snow squalls and icy cement - I was in charge of making sure the ladder did not slide away.  A very, very important job! And then we ran out of bolts!  What?!?  The other task - attaching the strapping - required a special screwdriver - a square bit.  Which Paul did not have.  (I am le...

 Happy Thanksgiving!!!  I hope everyone is enjoying their day and being with loved ones.  I am grateful we had such an awesome dinner last Saturday.  Tonight we had (leftover) turkey soup that simmered all day in the crock pot while we worked outside.  I am grateful the sun was shining for most of the day and the dusting of snow from overnight melted. To install the framing for the windows, holes needed to be drilled into the girts at precisely measured locations.  All measurements - correct.  Installing the frames - only one was initially, accidently installed upside down and required flipping. The windows fits perfectly and will be stored inside and secured in place later (after the risk of breakage is minimal).  Success! And then because we were feeling good about our progress and apparently energetic after lunch - we attempted the install of the rear eve struts.  Each strut needs to be raised to the lowest part of the roof rafters where e...

  After a night of pouring rain, I was glad that the temperatures had warmed up a bit.  Everything was muddy but I was able to work in sneakers and a sweatshirt.  Crazy fog while we made a quick trip to the hardware store before their early holiday closing (we needed more drill bits!)   Today we installed all the trim along the bottom of the garage in preparation for the wall panels.   1.     Remove the steel girt just inches above trim site. 2.     Measure between each beam and cut the steel to length. 3.     Drill holes for the hammer drive anchors (using two different size drill bits) at each end and two feet apart. 4.     Place the steel and drill through the holes into the concrete. 5.     Sweep and clean the holes. 6.     Measure and cut the sill seal. 7.     Place the steel trim on the seal and install hammer drive anchors. 8.     Replace steel girt. 9.    ...

  We wound up getting a late start to our day.  I slept until 10am.  10am!  I cannot remember the last time I slept past sunrise.  With 12 hours sleep I was more than ready to help Paul with the garage building.  Today we tackled the remaining cables for the X bracing on the roof.   Up and down the ladder.  Moving the two ladders to each corner to measure.  Many, many times until all the numbers were equal.  But we managed to finish despite our late start.  Now the roof will be square and the panels should align perfectly. Then a trip to the library to return movies and drop off our gift for The Giving Tree.  While home in RI, I visited the Cumberland Library Bookstore and found 40 books for teenagers in mint condition for $40!  Win/win.  So we dropped those off at the library here in Rangeley.   Dinner and a movie and another day has flown by!

  And we are back in Rangeley tonight.  Time is so strange.  We were only home for 3 1/2 days, yet we accomplished so much!  A day of cooking and relaxing.  Paul had his eyes checked and he is good to go!  A day of cooking and celebrating - thank you everyone for helping make the day a true success!  A day of shopping and relaxing (Okay shopping with a seven year old not quite relaxing but...).  A day of shopping (Christmas is around the corner) and driving.  None of it felt rushed.  I enjoyed each minute of it!   None of it felt rushed but looking back - it flew by! The lull has been moved to (I assume) the shop to be repaired.  Paul has a list of things he and I can accomplish this week while we wait.  The top of my list - hang our Christmas lights!

 Is it a short night or long night when sleep starts at 1am and complete at 7am?  Brianna was definitely in a party kind of mood - not sleepy at all.  Hearing the pitter patter of feet and opening my eyes to find her staring at me (every few minutes) - a bit disconcerting.  Thirsty.  Needs the bathroom.  Hungry.  Needs a movie to fall asleep.  Too funny.  No toothbrush?  Use your finger.  No PJs?  Here's a tee shirt.  Want a shower?  Use my purple shampoo.  Breakfast?  Nope, we had nothing appetizing apparently.  Bri has very definite opinions on just about everything! After breakfast at Megan's - clothes shopping with the girls.  Trying to find a dress for a special occasion started as a bit overwhelming.  Too many options.  But we managed even with Brianna threatening to melt down.   And with Megan unable to maintain a poker face - very entertaining!  She has always been ...

 Happy Thanksgiving!  I am so blessed to have so many people to celebrate with this year.                                                                                                                                                   Scott  Dan Kris     Peter     Thomas     Lennie     Nick     Linda     Karen      Mom     Rebecca     Ginny     Maddy     Susan Brianna     TJ     Layla     Megan ...

 I am so glad we arrived home early last night.  Today started early with my butternut squash in the oven by 630am.  Almost all my prep for tomorrow's Pre-Thanksgiving dinner is complete.  Broccoli casserole, squash, meat stuffing, and peanut butter cookies.  The turkey is defrosted and ready to be dressed and on the grill early.  The fish is marinating.  The tables are set up.   Pre-Thanksgiving began years ago when I finally decided to embrace the holiday.  Never a turkey fan, I avoided cooking one.  Plus I always volunteered to work the holiday (usually 16 hours) so I could have Christmas Eve/Day and New Years Eve/Day off.  To me it was a win/win.  So by celebrating on the weekend before the actual holiday - almost everyone can attend and I have grown to truly love the holiday!  And grilling the turkey - a no brainer.  Easy peasy. (Why I avoided it - I don't know.) We were so on our game - we went to Bandidos ...

                 A panoramic photo of Rangeley Lake as the sun is setting and we are headed back to RI. So we wound up leaving Rangeley much earlier than anticipated.  Good news/bad news.  It was nice to drive those winding roads with sunlight and minimal traffic.  It was good to drop Fenway off while the kids were still awake.  It will be nice to be in bed at a reasonable hour - especially with a full day planned tomorrow! Bad news - the lull broke at 3pm.  So completing the purlins - not happening.  Hopefully while we are celebrating our Pre-Thanksgiving, Mike H will be able to repair the lull and work can resume on the garage early next week.                                                                 The lull was...