Past Mistakes

Finally getting around to this mess: the glass brick window between the Dog Room and the Fun Porch. The choice of glass blocks was made because of Ollie: he had demolished the window between the Dog Room and the Back Kitchen TWICE! Unfortunately, the day we built it was horribly humid. No matter how much mortar we added, the mixture became sloppy immediately. I'll have to make things right as I trim it. . . .

Lunar Eclipse

The night of the lunar eclipse! And could I find my tripod adapter? No, I could not. And then the clouds rolled in. And that's all, folks!

By the Sea

Whose woods are these? Not ours! We went for a seaside vacation at our favorite super-secret spot. A house we don't have to fix! Luxury! And trees we don't have to thin or clear!

I Celebrate Canada Day

. . . by finally removing the cast iron vent stack. I have to say, my "Great Big Book of Renos" made it sound a lot easier than it turned out to be. In the end, only this tool proved robust enough to crack an iron hub: the balljoint fork. This, together with a club hammer ("Little Persuader") was just able to shatter the joint with a LOT of effort. Nevertheless, I did it all, from attic to cellar. I was just reconnecting the bathroom fixtures as Jo returned from out West.

Why the March Hare Is Mad

Was there ever such a bleak month as March? The snow is deep, the trees are bare, all colour drained away to gray. Will winter ever end?

Kitchen Floor

Here, for posterity, is the hideous linoleum floor that has been in the kitchen since long before we arrived. This spring we finally covered it up with hard maple (obtained for a mere song, though not of the finest grade). That odd green object in the corner is the case for the floor stapler, seen end on.

Valentine's Day

I think this is a "mackerel sky," though a darker and more lurid version than the usual kind. Valentine's Day colours?