Grumps can suck it, it's Friday!

[davids]

We are less than two weeks into our renovation project. I already have:

• Rational light switches and outlets where there used to be dumbassery;
• An entry hall where there used to be a closet;
• Two clerestory windows where there used to be sliding doors;
• A 10' long kitchen window where there used to be a wall full of ugly;
• The first coat of paint in our loft.

At this rate, the loft & second floor will be done - finished - within two weeks.

While I may be camping right now, the whole project is running well ahead of schedule.

1. The loft & second floor should be done by Monday, not next Friday;
2. The kitchen cabinets arrive Tuesday; and
3. It looks like this today:

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It may look like chaos to you (and it is) but it's beginning to look like heaven to me.

[dashDustin]

Got our house painted for free...inside, and out. and fence stained. perks of the job. and i got my wall in the garage done up in PPG Songbird.

Also finally got hearing aids sorted, and ordered. Phonak Sky V in black and red. Initially he wanted red, yellow, and orange...but we convinced him to go with something a little more subtle that he won't tire of. 3 weeks till it shows up. can't wait.

[mnoble485]

Must be construction related day. We topped out a nine story addition today. Lunch on us plus gift cards, tools etc for around 400 carpenters, plumbers electricians. Good times then back at it Monday.

Mike

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[znfdl]

This is my last Friday before I hit the minimum retirement age for retirement from the federal government. I would be much happier if I could afford to retire, but I actually have six years to go.

[rwsaunders]

All moved in and ready to rock.

[David Tollefson]

Been a long time since I've been on the UW campus. Had many classes on those old buildings just up from the fountain... Chemistry and physics in the mid-80's...

[davids]

UW? I was there for the first time last month. Congrats to her!

If she's interested in Oceanography let me know and I'll try to hook her up.

[rwsaunders]

^ here's what she's doing at UW...Museology | UW Graduate School

She's wanted to work in this field since she was in the 7th grade after being selected as a Docent at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and spending her time in the Egyptian antiquities section. She worked there all through high school and she worked at the Allen Museum in Oberlin all through college. The past three Summers, she worked for an urban archeologist in Pittsburgh which was quite an interesting experience. 15 employees dealing mostly with archeology issues as related to real estate development tax credits.

Most recently she worked at the Frick Museum in Pittsburgh between graduation and graduate school and she did a semester in Prague, with a focus on Eastern Eurpoean museum curation and management. It will be interesting and she knows that the field is narrow and very competitive...what isn't, right? She has mass retirements on her side and she's a natural when it comes to hard work. Keep your collective fingers crossed.

[EricKeller]

first round of kitchen modifications are nearly done. Next round isn't going to be nearly as invasive. I finally got over my fear of failure and matched the sand texture on the ceiling where I took out a hanging cabinet. Should have removed the cabinet years ago.

[nrs5000]

Will finish a major stage of an exterior painting project tomorrow.

Class camping trip last weekend was a major success.

[jdp211]

My dog's been staying with my parents for the last couple of weeks. Between travel for weddings, school starting back up again, and being in a sling for the foreseeable future, it would have been somewhat challenging to have him around. Thankfully I'm relatively functional (despite the sling), so I'm heading up to my parents and bringing him back to my apartment! Super excited for all the dog hangs that are gonna happen.

Oh, I also got put on a rather cool project at work that I'm enjoying very much.

[hidayanra]

UW? I was there for the first time last month. Congrats to her!

If she's interested in Oceanography let me know and I'll try to hook her up.

small world - I've got a whole pile of MS&PHD friends in Oceanography there, a slew of teammates from my previous team, and the shop I worked at in seattle was across the street from the oceanography buildings.

^ here's what she's doing at UW...

big respect - that a fabulous CV already.
I'm still well connected in academia at UW, PM me if stuff happens or anything comes up that I could be helpful with.

[davids]

small world - I've got a whole pile of MS&PHD friends in Oceanography there, a slew of teammates from my previous team, and the shop I worked at in seattle was across the street from the oceanography buildings.

Our connection is the father of one of our daughter's best friends. The young woman stayed with us over Thanksgiving break last year - putting up with us as we moved into our new house and actually being helpful.

She stayed again for a few days after graduation and her parents spent 30 minutes with us as they fetched her to head home. That was enough of a connection for them to host us for an evening as we passed thru Seattle.

They are lovely, lovely people, old-family Seattlites. And, yeah, he bike-commutes.

[davids]

Oh, and the 2nd and 3rd floors are pretty much done:

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[EightySixer]

This is really small (literally and figuratively) to the majority of people, but when you drink away everything you've ever had at 30 years old stuff like this is a big, big deal.

I have been sober a bit over a year again, and today I bought a little 2000 Honda Civic with 83k on it. As I said, small/normal/routine for most, but this little car represents a lot more than just this little car.

I am grateful.

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[EightySixer]

Oh- and I was able to land a Thule Fit Kit for this car so I can put my roof rack on it! They discontinued the kits because they stopped making the model of footers I have. Landed them on evil bay for a reasonable price. Woot woot

[rwsaunders]

Screw you Mr. Fertilizer Spreader because you're not going to ruin my day. I got up early so that I could knock out this stupid task and you thought that you were going to win by refusing to engage your gears. All due to a short sighted design in which your cheap arse engineering department decided to use standard steel screws that just happen to corrode when moisture and fertilizer come within three feet of them. Did I mention the Phillips head configuration that requires a 2" screwdriver to access the gear housing screws? You're lucky because my grandfather had one and I inherited his tools.

You lose Mr. Fertilizer Spreaded as Phil saved the day, along with a few emeffers muttered by yours truly and a rubber mallet which happens to work extremely well with PB Blaster.

[davids]

The list of things undone is getting shorter and shorter. Paint should be going on within a week:

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And a pad for the shed:

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[Rich Beaudoin]

After being laid off last spring, I have been working at my LBS (friends with owners and manager for about 20 years).
With all the summer months of riding, I'm in the best physical condition in a decade.
Alas, I was notified today that I am going to the 5th and final interview step for a great position in a great company.
Looking forward to this new opportunity while reflecting on a great summer!

[doomridesout]

My classmates all overextended themselves by signing up for too many pie eating contests where the prize is more pie. I signed up for a lot less, am making good on my commitments, and know what's going on in my classes. I get to go home and spend time with my wife and dog when I'm done with my stuff, and I've made time to train for my first 200k brevet at the end of October. Yes.