September 26, 2011





Just the studs

We have walls.  Our bathrooms were drywalled this last week so they are starting to begin to look like official rooms.  We still have a long way to go but it helps a lot to begin to visualize what our bathrooms will look like once finished.  It was fun to watch them bring the drywall in through the second floor bathroom window.  The crane had a wireless remote control that allowed the operator to adjust it while looking out the 2nd floor window - I so want one!  With the drywalling finishing, it means I get to get in and paint the bathrooms.  After coordinating with all the other contractors, of course.  Speaking of painting, my major painting task this last week was the living room.  I'm happy to say that after several intense and long days that our living room decor now matches the dining room.  Two of the big first floor rooms down.  Next up, as mentioned above, is hopefully the bathrooms.  If not, I have a back up project of starting to prep the back hallways - although I won't probably paint any of that until all the construction is complete.



With walls - YEAH!

Jo was in Utah at an HR conference for several days.  She was happy to be back on the road traveling for once since her job doesn't require much travel any longer.  She really misses being stuck in airports waiting for delayed and cancelled flights, eating out all the time, and carbon copy hotel rooms.  I'm serious, she really misses all that stuff - never could figure her out.  Anyway, she had a great time at the conference and it gave her several ideas to try out and to think about.  The rest of her week was the usual mix of meetings and dealing with HR crisis that always seem to arise.

Friday night we went out shopping and then had dinner at a sports bar where we watched the beginning of the Brewer's game.  This was the key game where they clinched their division - Yeah!  Then we came home to make an appetizer and dessert for her sister's retirement party.  That was our Saturday adventure.  After our morning run and lift we packed up our nephew and treats and headed to Madison to help Kathy celebrate being, like me, retired.  She had a party at a neighbor's house with her non-work friends.  Kathy is adjusting well to not having to go to work every day, although the lack of routine has been somewhat of a struggle for her - personally, I think that is the biggest benefit of not working.  We stayed over Saturday night and on Sunday we all went to watch the Wisconsin women's volleyball team take on Illinois.  Jo and I were split on who to rout for, but since Illinois is ranked #3 it seemed the safest bet.  After the game (which Illinois won in 3 straight sets), we headed home to get a few things taken care of on the house and ready ourselves for another week.

September 18, 2011

I'm just back from a trip to the warmer climates in the Southwest.  I spent several days visiting with my parents outside of Albuquerque, NM.  It was nice to have days back in the 80's and to enjoy the excellent Mexican food available down there.  Also good to catch up on my parents activities since it has been quite a while since my last visit.  I got in several runs in the morning although, as usual, I struggled a bit with the lack of oxygen and the hills there.  We enjoyed the Balloon Museum and watching several movies in the evening (I realize I should have taken a photo or two in the museum - oh well, maybe next time).  Also took our shot at winning some money from the casino but no success there - not real surprising.  A final bonus was that my flights both going there and coming home all went smoothly.  A real rarity for me.

Jo managed to secure tickets to the Milwaukee Brewers for the evening I returned home.  So I picked her up on the way from the airport along with our nephew to enjoy an evening of America's pastime.  While we enjoyed the hot dogs and great seats (7 rows back, right by home plate), the Brewers where not having their best night and lost the game.  But we did get to see the sausage's race - only in WI!  Waking up on Thursday morning, I found all the painting still waiting for me.  While the five days off in NM where nice, the house unfortunately didn't decide to paint itself.  So it was back to my painting chores - I tackled getting the primer on the hallway and started prepping the living room.  Stay tuned for the pictures there. 

The construction works continues as we now have plumbing in the bathrooms and the electric work has started.  Although the first floor bathroom was demolished this week so we are down to one functioning bathroom on the third floor of the house.  Quite a walk, but we will manage (at least that is what we keep telling ourselves).  For the weekend, we spent0 Friday grilling some chicken on the grill and just staying in.  Saturday after our morning workouts we had massages and then took care of some work around the house before attending the Swan Ball.  The Swan Ball is a charity event for abused children.  Nice dinner but it was tough to hear about these poor children whose parents abuse them.  What a world.  Today was rainy so a great day for some reading and catching up on things in the computer world.   

September 5, 2011

We have now reached the "official" end of the summer and it now time to begin to get ready for chilly nights and falling leaves.  However, Milwaukee is trying to get all these things in early.  It was 50 degrees when we woke up this morning and, due to the low rainfall this year, our trees are all dropping their leaves already.  I'm trying to get my mind around getting ready for Wisconsin winters again (and more importantly my body).

We had a bustly week as Jo was very busy with work and I worked to finish the painting in the dining room.  As you can see, after the multiple layers of wall paper were removed the walls we painted green at one point and had some kind of framing around all the walls.  It makes for an interesting historical considerations as you peel back all these layers.  After some patching, priming, and then paint on the walls, ceiling and trim the dining room is officially finished and put back together.  I also painted our front door this week so we no longer have a lovely purple door which has been replaced with a dark green shade that blends in a bit nicer in the neighborhood.  Next up is either the hallways or the living room.  I haven't completely decided which.  Will depend on which works best around the contractors.  Speaking of which, progress continues on our bathroom renovations.  The one bathroom now has roughed in plumbing and lights.  We are still months away from finishing, but the first month is behind us.  Unfortunately we are going to lose our first floor bathroom this week which means we only have a bathroom on the third floor.  Going to be a lot stair climbing for the next 8 weeks.

On Saturday, after our morning exercises we did a few minor chores around the house before settling in for some reading and .... yep... naps.  I did finish my re-read of the Harry Potter series (still keeps me riveted).  That evening we had our nephews and their girlfriends over for dinner.  It was a lot of fun for Jo and I to catch up on their activities. Made us jealous all the energy and things they are involved in.  Especially as our one nephew and his girlfriend enter their senior year of college.  Oh to be young and just starting out again.  But then, it is awfully nice to be more financially secure than we were back then.  Everyone was doing great, and for Jo's sister, fruits and vegetables were provided for stocking up the home refrigerators!

On Sunday, we biked down to the downtown Harley Davidson Museum.  It also happened to be a "Hog Rally" at the museum so not only did we get to enjoy all the museum exhibits but also the hundreds of personal motorcycles in the parking lots of the museum.  It was very interesting to read about the history of this Milwaukee business that started here.  Seemed like a similar story to Hewlett Packard in that it started in a small garage in back of one of their parents homes.  After touring the museum we rode to the North Park Bistro on the shore of Lake Michigan for a sandwich while watching the waves roll in.  Then it was home for rest and relaxation.

We had originally planned to go to Lake Geneva today, but Jo is behind on her work and needed a day to catch up on things before work starts again tomorrow.  Me, I'm never behind at work anymore.  But I try not to rub that in with the significant other.