NEW WHEELS!

Chris is always surprising us when he comes to visit with some new toy he has just bought. Last Tuesday, he didn't just surprise us, he stunned us! He pulled into our driveway driving a spanking, brand new red car! Robert's first thought was that he was driving a friend's car. Robert came running into the living room where I was sitting and said, "Look at Chris' new car." I don't know if he was just being silly (because remember, he originally thought it was somebody else's car) or if he somehow figured out Chris really did have a new car!

We were so amazed when Chris came inside and confirmed it was indeed HIS car. Chris has talked about getting a car for some time now but it has always been more in pipedream conversations he has had with us. He was always telling us it sure would be nice to have a vehicle with room for more than one dog. That way he could take our dogs home with him for Seven to play with or better yet, he could get a second dog for Seven to play with.

Funny how I had just told Kathy when she was here the previous weekend it seemed like Chris was still a long ways from buying a car since it had actually been awhile since I heard him say anything about one. Little did I know he was, as I spoke, in the process of buying one!

Chris stayed for dinner (ever more appreciative of free food) and the entire time he was here he was buzzed. He told us how he used the Internet to get the car, how many options the car came with, and how all the different features worked.

He made the decision to purchase a car when he realized he really didn't want to suffer through another Sacramento summer without an air-conditioned car. He did the numbers and discovered he could indeed actually swing buying a new car. Once he figured this out, he wasted no time in finding just the right one for him.

Of course, he tells us, he can't afford a second dog now!

Visit Chris' blog for what he wrote about his new Doge Magnum.

NEW KITCHEN COUNTERTOPS
written 06/09/07

Every time I walk into our kitchen and see granite everywhere I feel I am in somebody else's kitchen. What a difference our new granite countertops make to the look and feel! After we installed a new sliding glass door and new tile, painted the walls new colors, the old tile countertops looked so dated, it was obvious they needed replacing.

Installation, which took only one day once the templates were created and the granite was cut to size, did not go exactly as expected. With a newbie on the job (we are not happy with the tile installer using us as his training ground) who did not measure things correctly or pay attention to where holes should be drilled, there were mistakes made. The air vent for the dishwasher was drilled over a sink brace. Someone had to come out later and come up with an alternate way to brace the sink. There was a piece of back splash cut too short. Someone had to cut an extension piece to cover the mistake and return to install it. We didn't know until the installers were on site that the back splash behind the stove was going to be in three pieces. With three seams behind the stove, the granite does not flow all in one pattern. Even though we are probably the only ones who will ever notice, it was definitely a note of discord in our expectations.

The granite color is Madura Gold and goes very nicely with the rest of the newly refurbished kitchen and dining room area. However we found out after the installation was complete that Madura Gold is a soft granite. We soon discovered what that meant: It stains easily! We have to be extremely careful what we leave on the counter. This is good in that our counters are always clean now, dishes are done up right away and a damp cloth is constantly in use to wipe up spills. Given the mistakes made when the granite was installed, i wouldn't be surprised if the installers also forgot to seal the granite properly thus the real reason we are experiencing such intense staining.

Overall, in spite of the negatives, we are still really pleased with our new countertops. We should have redone them a long time ago!

Details about the earlier phase of our countertop project are in my blog.

CABIN GETAWAY
written 06/09/07

Last December, Kathy and Tim went in with two very good friends to purchase a vacation cabin! They are using it as a regular getaway and also renting it out. Robert and I joined them for one of those getaways right after New Year's. We joined Tim, Kathy, Rylan, and Apollo along with Mike and Liza, the cabin's co-owners, along with their two children and Liza's sister, Jeannette, and brother-in-law, Chris. With three bedrooms (filled with lots of beds) and two baths, there was plenty of room for all of us. This January trip was both for relaxation and for work. I helped Kathy paint the downstairs bedroom. Liza and Jeanette helped her paint a kitchen wall. The guys installed light fixtures and took care of other guy projects around the cabin.

Since January, Kathy, Tim, Mike, and Liza have installed all new double-pane windows throughout the cabin, put in more new lights, hung new curtains, and purchased deck chairs for outdoor lounging. Next, they are looking at installing an outdoor spa!