Meet the Mets

It was announced today that this past Monday we lost one of the memories and one of the sounds of my past. Jane Jarvis died at the age of 94. She will always be associated with attending Mets games in my youth. So many today don't recall the sound of her organ echoing through Shea. Now she is gone, and Shea is gone and we are left with a sterile ball park and rock music. I long for the old days.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Bubble Wrap

First stage done

Yesterday Rob (contractor) was here all day ripping out the old doors and installing our new six panel doors. Not an easy swap because these houses originally had metal frames instead of wood jambs. I had a major problem fitting and squaring up the wood jamb and doors years ago when I replaced the originals. A lot of cursing and trimming, but I made them work. Rob actually took out one of the framing 2x4s on each side of each opening and replaced it with a piece of 5/4" board, thus allowing space for shimming and squaring. The three bedroom doors, bath and linen closet are all done except for knobs which I am responsible for. Not sure if we will get new ones or not. Today he will return to pop in the entry way closet door. He ran out of time yesterday. Next week, not sure of the days yet, the floor guys come to sand and finish the floors. Then the tile guy will come to tile the entry way, followed by Rob coming back to put shoe molding all around the floor molding. THEN comes my job when I have to paint.

You can see a pic of the hallway doors on my 365 project blog.

Viewers

I always wonder who views my blog, and now my 365 project blog, only because no one, or very few ever comment on anything in either blog. But this weekend I was both disappointed and happy about learning about my viewers or lack thereof. It seems my brother, who I always thought was a loyal follower, was not following my blogs at all. How distressing. But a day later I learned that a brother of an in-law does follow, even though he makes no comments. That was a nice thing to hear. So, to all who are reading this, please, every once in a while, take the time to make a comment on either this blog or my 365 project blog.

And to those who have been making comments. Thank you.

Eight Minutes!

In order to have the floors redone we needed to get the piano out of the living room. It is the only piece of furniture which we can't handle ourselves. Due to the house's floor plan there is no way to roll it into another room. In order to get it out of the way it would have to go on end, which I was not going to attempt even with help. So we hired piano movers. Three guys, two dollies, one blanket, one roll of shrink wrap and a ramp. They threw a large blanket over the piano, wrapped shrink wrap around and around to hold the blanket. Then the piano was tilted up on end onto a dolly. After they rolled it into the kitchen they tilted it off the first dolly, right onto the second one so the piano was no right side up again. Then a simple ride down the ramp to the den. They lifted it off the dolly and positioned it. I made out the check, signed the invoice and they were gone. Eight minutes from the time I opened the door until I closed the door behind them. Unbelievable.

Going for it all

Pat has been wanting hardwood floors in the living/dining room and hall for a long time. I finally gave in and we ripped up the carpeting over the past week. Today I tore up all the tile by the front door. A few days ago I figured with everything being done and all the furniture out of the living and dining rooms I might as well bite the bullet and go all the way. So, we are switching out all the doors from the inexpensive (spelled c-h-e-a-p) to six panel doors to be painted white. All moldings around doors will be replaced and painted and all molding along the floor will also be painted white. Eventually after the floors are done we will be getting area rugs. But for now it is a lot going on. After this is all done I think we will be finished for a while. That is until Pat sits and begins to think of other things she wants done. Then I will again resist and maybe this time I will not change my mind. But for now I can't foresee any major changes that could possibly be made.

It is official

Well, today marks the day. We, or Pat more specifically, have become seniors, the aged, retired, or anyone who can be defined as receiving Social Security benefits. Yes, today the direct deposit was made for Pat's benefits. Four more months for me. So...everyone out there; please keep working and contributing.

Happy Anniversary To Us

What, you say? Another anniversary? Isn't our anniversary in August? The answer is yes and yes. Yes our anniversary was August 22nd, thirty nine years of wedded bliss. But today is another anniversary. It marks the day that we first went out, January 10th, 1963. It was a Thursday. I am not sure where we were or what we did but this has always been our recollection of when we first started going out. Being a Thursday my guess would be it was a basketball game at the high school. Granted there were times when we broke up, or to be correct, I broke up with Pat, but that is the date when we first were together as a couple. Fourty seven years. Egads! Yikes! More than seventy five percent of our lives have been together. I guess we were meant to be together. This August marks forty years of marriage and in only another ten we will be able to have our picture in the paper for our golden anniversary. Boy does that make me feel old. To quote Frank Barone ..... Holy Crap!

Happy New Year

So, another year has come and gone. I used to think that the end of the year was overblown in its importance, but this year has me looking on it differently. So many things have transpired this past year that I am glad that it is over. Turn the page. Look to the future. Hopefully 2010 will be a better year.

And in keeping with the change, I have taken on a challenge, one I have given myself. I am going to keep a daily photoblog. Yes, I know what you are thinking, that it will last a few weeks and then I will give up. That could very well be true, but only time will tell. I don't know the blog definition yet except to say that it will be a picture a day. Not a self portrait as Kevin tried last year. This will be more of a chronicle of my daily life. How each day's picture will be determined is what I still need to come to grips with. It may start out in January, and by June (if it is still going) be totally different. So, it being January 1st, my first entry is posted.

http://www.photoblog.com/rayswrld/