End of Season

 It's the end of the workshop season. I've disconnected the sump pump and turned off the cellar fan. I wonder when I can hook them up again? It was -7C last night so it was time, though the pump was still doing good work down there! 

First Snow

 There was a light dusting on the deck the previous evening, but I'm going to call this the first snowfall of the season.

By Land or by Sea

 Off to Grand Manan to finish the shed project. I just have to build a ramp and add some extra screws to the tin shed.

Woodshed Project

 When we built the woodshed, about 25 years ago, we set it on brick piers so we could pour footings and a slab. We're finally doing this. First, I shoveled out over two decades of bark and waste, and levelled the floor. I undermined the sills so I could put some hefty footings in. Then I created a lattice of rebar to strengthen the slab. Finally, I poured the concrete. This winter, half our wood will sit on concrete with a vapour barrier under it--should be nice and dry. Mind you--I'll have to fix the leaky roof now!

Autumn

 Overall, the trees had a fine season. 

The sky is dull, so the colours do not show as they should, but the leaves were plentiful and bright, and most thrived. I think the little elm at the foot of Diane's drive is dying, and there are a few trees under the power line that will have to go, but otherwise--a fine fall.

Window on the World

Sometimes things move slowly; at other times they zip along.

May 30

October 9

October 10

October 11

End of the Season

 This autumn has lingered beautifully. The weather is still quite deck-worthy, even in mid-October. However, the shadows lengthen, the days grow shorter, and winter is coming.

Giant Spiders!

 They are setting traps by the steps to the loading dock, and they're after my van!

First Fire

I finally broke down and lit a fire to drive away the cold and damp. I thought we might make it to Hallowe'en, but it was not to be. We still have to put away the seasoned wood and stack the new load that Robert brought last month, but that will have to wait until I pour a concrete slab in the woodshed.
 

Doing My Nails

Over the years, we've pulled quite a range of forged nails from this old house. The biggest ones are six-inch spikes; the tiny ones were used to pin the lath to the studs.  

Historic Event

After I finished with the rotors on the van and the Kona, I CLEANED THE GARAGE. I blush to admit it, but this is the best it has looked in 27 years. I can see at once all the tasks I've put off for about two decades....

Rotor Rust

 Only 22 months into the life of the new van, and again I have had trouble detaching the front rotors. 

I had to give 'em the chop. This time I coated the hubs with Permatex Copper--we'll see if it helps. Joanne's car was at exactly the same point--22 months--when her rotors began to spall. The driver's side required cutting; I later removed the passenger side rotor by grinding a small chisel notch in one side. 

Tis the Season

 Heating season is approaching, which means cleaning the chimneys and smoke pipes, shoveling out the stoves...and replacing the furnace nozzle. 

GM

 The lawn tractor saga continues: sailing to Grand Manan to build a shed to house it for the winter. After much debate, we settled on a pre-fabricated steel shed and a plywood and plank base with concrete deckblocks for support. 

Fierce Moose

 Port Hope is where they have the fiercest mooses... 

Iron John

 Not a John, in fact, but a tub. The styling was relatively modern, but the unit was cast in 1949--in Toronto, this time, not in Port Hope. I broke it up and took the pieces to the metal bin at the Lion's Club. 

On the Tiles

 Kitchenation continues, and we have finally reached the stage of tiling. Joanne does the artistic stuff while I scurry back and forth to the tile saw mounted on the deck. Once you start you cannot stop... 

Rotary Issues

 The throbbing rotor has been cured. It was one of the worst yet. My usual method for stubborn rotors is to cut into the raised drum so that I can force a chisel between the hub and the rotor. In this case, I cut all around and separated the raised centre from the rotor face before I could break it free. Tommy suggests using No Seize; I've used such products before (and messed up the wheel nuts on the van with it), but perhaps the Bostik brand will yield better results. I realize that the reverse face of the disk was the problem. I think the slides seized so that the inner pad remained constantly on and built up a thick glaze on the rotor surface. When I freed the caliper and slides, the inner pad was able to press more firmly, and this cracked away part of the glaze, creating an uneven surface that throbbed like a warped rotor. Anyway, it's smooth as silk and the car is getting better gas mileage. 

Getting High

 The vent stack and chimney have been leaking and it has been getting worse. I erected this tower and built a ladder up to the peak, removing sheet metal screws from the roof and replacing them with rungs fixed by 4-inch GRKs. I installed a new metal/rubber flashing over the rather ad hoc one made by Keith's crew, and caulked them both. Then I sealed up the upper rim of the chimney, screwed a rain cap on, and bolted and caulked on a water deflector that Boris assembled while I was working. We've had heavy rains since and not a drop has crept in. Good! 

Flow Soft...

 Usually, by late July, the little crick is just a dry mud path through the property. This year, the rains came in July, not June, so it is still verdant and flowing. The same is true of the Nashwaak; it was fully enough for a good kayak with the kids earlier this month, and I think the level has actually risen, so we should be able to take the lovely North channel, if we can find some time this weekend.

Sinking Feeling

The new sink is installed! Incredibly, I had to search three hardware stores to find a simple two-bowl sink drain kit. Home Depot was a washout. I finally consulted a sales assistant, who pulled out various other kits, complained that they were in the wrong place, and finally admitted they had nothing. At Kent, a man offered me a 1.5" kit smeared with excess glue (did they put it together in the back room?) and then started gathering up a series of mismatched adapters. I piled them in his hands, said, "I don't want these," and walked out. I'm afraid I was growing irritable. Finally, at Canadian Tire I found what I needed, minus the 3/4" dishwasher nipple, which I salvaged from the old hookup. This time, the installation went very smoothly; the faucet was well-designed and easy to fit, even working under the very deep sink. 

We are creeping toward completion. We still have the tiling to do--the colourful backsplash Joanne has planned. Then we can trim the windows, with a deep sill for herbs. Finally we will add the corner shelves. Then we can turn our attention to the other half of the room, the dining area. This will be fun, because the only complication is the closet under the main stairs, currently covered by the drywall. We will make a handy storage area for the vacuum cleaner.

Last year at this time the place looked quite different. At that point, you could walk outside without bothering about a door. This is how it appeared in the middle of demolition; Joanne is tearing out the oak window frame, and then the rest of the wall will go.  We knocked it down to the sill, and then built it up again, all the way to the attic. Once you start these projects, it's hard to find an end to them!

Assembly Room

 I finally cleaned out the workshop to such an extent that we have an assembly room, here featuring the daybed frame that Jo has just finished staining and varnishing. 

It is supported by the trestles we built for the temporary sink arrangement in the kitchen. Waste not, want not!

Workshopping

 I hope we can seal up the workshop ceilings for winter. The sight upon mounting the stairs was deeply depressing, but it's getting better. Slowly.

A bit of the project room ceiling needed cutting out and patching as well. I think snow blew in through the vent over the winter--it does this in bad storms in the main house, but we then go up and clear it away. I didn't do that in the workshop. 

Kitchenation

 This is the kitchen's current state; the countertop crew will come in a few weeks to install the quartz, but we have made do with 3/4" plywood and cheap vinyl tablecloths for now. This will do for the children's visit at least.

Moving on up

 The workshop is expanding as I pack, throw away, and otherwise deal with the huge collection of debris. I moved the radial arm saw upstairs, which took some doing, but now I have a two-floor shop! 

C/O Under the Stairs

 Harry Potter's bedroom? The long sealed cupboard under the stairs briefly appeared during the kitchen renovations. I put a nice solid header on it, and later--when everything settles down--I would like to put a proper door on it and use it.

Lilac Time

 The lilac tree in full bloom. It's shaping up to be an odd summer. First we had very early hot weather, and then it began cooling prematurely. I suspect in the end it will be an average season. The trees now shadow the driveway pleasantly--quite a change from the original baked gridiron version of the garden.

Someone's at the Door

This little visitor appeared by the back door. The markings look strikingly like eyespots. 

Skyward

 We have quite busy skies in this area. June put on some remarkable displays. 

Steely Dan

 I can't praise this machine enough: the drywall hoist. It makes difficult jobs a breeze...once you work out the peculiarities of the mechanism... 

Evolution

 It proceeds...

Auto Time

 Earlier in the week, the brakes started squealing on the Hyundai and Diane's Toyota died, so I've been back in the garage a little. The battery had died on the Toyota, and in the manner of contemporary batteries its failure was sudden and complete. I simply bought a new one at Canadian Tire. I changed the squealing pad on the passenger side on the Hyundai; as you can see, the outer pad was pristine while the inner one was gone. On the weekend I did the other side, and it was the same: outer pad barely used but the inner one completely worn away. I pressed the caliper pistons back and they did not seem to be sticking, so I cleaned and greased the slides carefully. I hope this doesn't recur--after only 40K it seems a bit premature!

As a side note, I also finally assembled the workbench Jo bought me. I'll have to do some adjusting to the work area; I think I'll chop out the old wooden bench, save the portion with the big Record vice, and pop the new metal bench in that space.

Holey

 Dear me!  I can see right into the kitchen.

That's not right...

Fortunately, I know a perfect cure: There! You'd never know anything was wrong...but something still isn't right.

Perfect! I'll just move the chest of drawers back into place, and Bob's yer uncle!