Jalopies and junk trucks Summer 2018

You may recall that Bob bought a 1950 Ford pick up truck last July with the hopes of making it into a "rat rod" (hot rod that isn't so hot).  He has been working on that since he brought it home and still has more to go, but it is coming along nicely.  Last week he arranged to buy a 1994 Dodge Dakota pickup from my brother's neighbor.  The truck had broken down and had been parked along the road across from Bobby's house for the last year.  Bob considers it an "investment gamble".  Either he will be able to fix it and sell it or junk the junker.

July 8, 2017

After months of body work and primer, Bob begins paint job

July 28, 2018

Dakota clunker

Bob finally decides to cool in the pool 

Long Time Friends Pay a Visit - June 2018

Our friends Paul and Jay had been promising to pay us a visit, and the weekend after we helped my brother move, they did come.  They had just spent a week with their family at a cabin in Helen, GA.  When they realized they were only about an hour away from us, they came for the weekend before heading home to Calabash, NC, instead of coming later in the summer as originally planned.  Unfortunately, neither Jay nor Bob were feeling 100% so we decided to just hang out instead.

Jay and I have been friends since 8th grade.

Here Paul and Jay are toasting with Padron tequila in honor of the golden anniversary of Jay's and my epic 10,000 mile journey across the United States from Jersey to California.  I haven't had tequila since 1968 when Jay and I both experienced the worst hang over ever, so I had to pass on this toast!  If all goes well, we will connect again in September when we go to Calabash.

The Lake House at Lavonia - June 2018

After months and months of work to put their Florida house on the market and searching for a home in Georgia, my brother Bobby and sister in law Valerie were finally able to make it all happen.  They found a house on Lake Hartwell in Lavonia that they loved and was virtually move-in ready.  Their house in Largo sold within two weeks of the For Sale sign being put up.  And miraculously, both closings took place on the same day, June 15th.   That weekend, we helped them move in, joined by niece Jenna and her friend Mark.

Bobby was able to get the U-Haul almost to the front door which made it quite a bit easier to unload.

Bob the Builder was put to work while Valerie opened the packing crates that Bobby, Jenna, and Mark unloaded.  In addition to being the designated photographer of this epic event,  I was also enlisted to clean and volunteered to cater the meals for Friday and Saturday.

 

Bobby and Jenna take a moment to rest their backs and decide what needs to be done next....

while Bob and Mark take a breather.

This stunning fireplace was one of the house's features that made it irresistible. 

As did the lake access seen from their back deck...

...the privacy, solitude, and visitors.

 

 



Twin Lakes Getaway May 2018

A couple of weeks after Gwen and Ellen's visit,  we decided to take a boating/camping trip at one of the local Army Corps of Engineer parks on Lake Hartwell:  Twin Lakes.   This Corps park is about 20 miles from us, so it was convenient to make one trip to drop off the travel trailer, come back to the house, and then tow up the boat.  We were really looking forward to being able to moor the boat at the campsite, jump in the boat and take off fishing.  But, when we put the boat in the water, it wouldn't start.  Bob and I had to get waist deep into the lake and literally push the boat back onto the trailer.  Two fishermen were just bringing their boat back to the ramp, but neither offered to help in any way...not even ask if they should call the park ranger.  All one guy said was, "Not a good way to start the day."  Yeah, tell us about it, buddy.   We stayed the night, but decided to head back home the next day since the main intent of the outing was to go boating/fishing.  Back home, Bob found the problem was that a short in the trolling motor had drained the batteries.

The Corps sites are quite spacious and clean, and at $12/night with our senior discount, you can't beat the price!

Undaunted, Bob tried his luck fishing from the shore.  Even though the trip didn't pan out as we hoped it might, it was still great to be on the lake.

 

    

 

Garden Projects Spring 2018

When we moved in last year we focused mainly on the interior of the house.  This spring I wanted to have a vegetable garden and more flower gardens.  Notice I do the wanting.  Bob does the doing.

Bob made these two garden beds on the east side of the house.  We planted a blackberry bush, a blueberry bush and cucumbers in the one nearest the porch and patty pan (white summer squash) and string beans in the farther one.  We had bumper crops of cukes and beans.  The squash is just now ready to pick.  The berries probably won't produce until next year, but we are looking forward to those. 

In the "north forty", Bob made a box with landscape timbers for the forsythia plant, some day lilies and caladium.

We decided the north forty could use a willow tree, too.  It will be fun to watch it grow.

Bob also added a border of landscape timbers for the hydrangea, day lilies, azalea and gladiola plants in front.

The gladiola were magnificent, but the wind battered the stems, so I cut some before they got ruined.

And overnight, this Mexican sombrero appeared.

 





Mud Room Project Spring 2018

The mud room became my computer and craft place.  But, I wanted to make some changes so that we would have access to the back yard other than going thru the obstacle course that is usually in Bob's garage.  Even though it meant losing a big closet, overall it was a great improvement.

Bob started by removing the closet door and clearing that space

Despite repeated measurements, the area was about 1/4 inch too small to fit the desk.  Removing the base board molding on one wall solved the problem.

Ah, a perfect fit.  

We selected a door we wanted at Lowe's.  Bob wanted to and could have installed it, but I insisted on hiring a handyman team to make it easier on Bob, who was having some health issues at this time.

Bob had already cleared out the overgrown gardenia bush and removed the dog house that was in this area.  The second handyman here is starting the exterior cuts for the door.

Within a day, the job was finished.

Good bye, doggie door.  Hello back yard door!

In May, with the second pacemaker operation behind him, Bob was ready to tackle making a small deck for the new area.

Coming along nicely.

Yep, first coat looks good.

Second coat on and railings are up.  Great job, Bob.