080920 - Racing Day

080920 - Up and everyone to Jack's soccer game. He did pretty good, but was tired from staying up last night. We ran past the movie store, stopped by the house and the to the Columbus Soap Box Derby. All the boys thought it was pretty cool. But when I asked then if they would like to try it they said 'no, it looks too dangerous.' they are spending WAY too much time w/ L... Grabbed some grub and headed home to watch the OSU game, much better result then last weekend... I put another coat of mud on the barn beams & L&D went for a bike ride to the playground whil J&G took a nap. Got the group awake and back together and then headed to a bday party, where I ate too much, played football catch w/ D, and all the boys had a good time. Home and to the movie room to watch 'Speed Racer'. got the boys to bed late again. I then stayed up doing more work.

080919 - Jog

080919 - Up and got the office powered up piece by piece. Started the task of cleaning off my desk that has five days worth of work on it. Then cleaned off the new mails on the pcs and calendars. Took a break to watch Howdy in the annual 'Jog for Jefferson', where they do a sort of walk-a-thon thing. L&G made a lap or two with him, while J&I hung out at the monkey bars. J didn't have school yat because the school had no power. Back to work and stuck in my chair until about 6pm... L had her kitchen back and made us a good meal. I gave the boys a bath the watched a kung fu movie w/ D&J. Got them to bed and then back on the PCs playing catch-up untill 2...

080918 - Scouts

080918 - Up and still no power! L out to Marlene's to do some laundry and let J&G play. I did some more mail on the phone, attended some con calls and talked to t bunch of folks so I could stay on top of everything. I got the vent pipe, after 3yrs, attached from the boys bathroom through the attic hat vent, a layer of mud on the beam walls and some other chores I have had on a list for a long time.
I made a hamburger helper dinner on the camp stove and then took Howdy to the first Scout meeting of the year. It was good to see all the Scouts and Dads again. Home and Doc now has electric across the street. I got the boys to bed and then sat w/ L & Nicole in the dark living room. Then, POW! The lights came on!!!! I started the breakers one by one to make sure things worked and then turned off the generator and pushed the fridge back.
Shortly after the power came on the neighborhood rang with sirens from fire engines. An older couple down the road had their rang on when the power went out and hadn't shut it off... The house caught fire! The were staying at friends because one of them needed an oxygen machine so they were not at home. A neighbor saw the flames through their kitchen window and made the call. The house was saved but the need a new kitchen.

080917 - Cleaned up

080917 - Up and still no power! Called in to Holland, let them know we are still in the stone ages. Then headed outside to finish up the clean up effort. About noon we got the yard done, you can see the pile, this is the second and smaller of our two piles... The boys played fairly well, a little sick of being together 24x7... While the boys had lunch I made some calls for work to keep up. I grabbed some cold chicken and then played tug of war. Everyone went in and rested while L headed over to Nicole's to do a couple loads of wash. I got the boys a snack, L home, they played in the backyard and then we headed off to Jack's guitar lesson & L off to dinner w/ the girls. The lesson went really well and Jack really likes it. Dylan even said 'Jack is really good at it', amazing! Got some nuggets on the way home and G got something in his eye that made him scream all the home. Put some eye drops in his eye and he got better. Gave the boys baths, played with shadow puppets and off to bed, and not a peep. I read a book with my hat flashlight until L got home, and we had a nice chat.
To bed and still no power.

080915 - Powerless

080915 - Up and some some cold coffee. Then got the generator running and hooked to the fridge and the phone chargers. The out with the hand saw and prunners. We started at 8:30. The boys were outside ALL DAY! Everyone pitched in, u can see how Howdy and Jack pack the leaves in the bags... L saw the debris truck coming and we rushed everything we could out front. Howdy and I helped them load the brush and he was amazed how the truck worked and smashed everything. We got the guys some snacks and pop and then headed into the backyard for more. As L&I continued to clean up, the boys rode snowboards down the sliding board, shot the BB gun, played tug of war, carried sticks and just played all day. At 5:30 we gave up and headed to get some food and the store to but a camp stove to cook on tomorrow. It is a complete mad house. The stores are packed and the shelves are bare...
We drove around town, saw one house that was crushed by a tree and limbs and brush everywhere. This will take some time to get things back to normal. I can't imagine how the folks in Texas are doing... Home, baths with day light left, more shadow puppets and 3 exhausted boys fast asleep. I am catching up on the blog w/ my phone in the dark. Still no power...

080914 - Damage

080914 - L to early church, G&I dropped of D&J for sunday school. G&I home to play and prep the beam to wall seam for mudding. All home for lunch then out to Jack's unorganized soccer pictures for an hour...
Headed to a pond for a snake hunting expedition and the wind really started kicking up... We left when a limb fell too close to Jack... we headed to Friendship park for more snake hunting and a creek walk. Our hunt was cut short due to high wind and flying debris. We retreated to Wendy's for dinner. There we watched the trees bend way over and signs fall to the ground.
We headed home and were shocked to see the trees and limbs everywhere. At home we couldn't get the garage door up, NO ELECTICITY! We surveyed the damage, see the pic of the backyard, note the tree resting on top of the shed... We got baths with what daylight remaining and played games and had shadow pupet shows untill bed time.
Later I determined it would be a better plan to head out to find a generator than to join the masses that would decend on the stores in the morning... It took several stops and calls to find the last remaining generator way up at Polaris. I got one around midnight!
On the way home I hit several gas stations, that either didn't have power, gas or gas cans. I did manage to get gas in the car at one place and a can at another, but no gas in the can...
After hitting one more gasless gas station I found myself sitting at a light that would not chage to let me out... I waited about 5 rotations then give up. I made sure the coast was clear, except the one car turning onto the road I was on and ran the light. Well the guy turning was a cop... He flipped on his lights, swung up behind me and would not listen... Then, as he was on his way back to his car with my license another car stops him and says 'sir, you might want to check out that light, it isn't working right.' AMEN! The officer returned my stuff and let me know he would check out the light and if he found it was working he would come to my house and give me a ticket. Haven't seen him yet ;-)

080913 - Clean-up

080913 - Up, L,D&G out to get groceries. J&I to the Home Depot, the vacum bag store and the movie store. All met back at home for lunch and we started cleaning up garage from the project. Made 2 boards out of a scrap beam section, it took 1 hr/ board. Finished up the garage clean out so we can now get the car back in. Everyone out to Gary & Marlene's to watch the OSU game, WHAT KIND OF GAME WAS THAT? Home and to bed disgusted!
080912 - Horribly slow day! caught up on a lot of work stuff, started some clean up in the garage, took the fam to Bellacinos for pizza, tried to do some shopping... Home, baths & bed. L&I stayed up to watch a worthless movie...
080911 - Final touches on beam raising prep, inspected all ceiling and wall spaces for mold and water sources, used a camera, all good! Sealed the walls and ceiling. Called in the troops to get the beam up, 8 guys helped me get it raised up and moved into position & all the temporary walls down and the ceiling didn't fall in! THANKS GUYS!!!
L&I clnd up, then I ran over to Docs to fix his heater. Back home and L is rearranging furniture already... We sat there looking at the new expanse and she loves it! I stayed up late and finished the N doc.

080910 - Old School

080910 - Up and getting things done. Working an hour on N, then working an hour on the beam project. Little bites out of both and getting them done in good shape. I tried a chainsaw, I tried a circular saw... these old beams have no respect for modern tools. To get a straight and square cut, I got to do it old school, hand saw time. My arms are out of energy and I'm about out of beer. At least Doc is on his way with more beer!
080909 - Up and calls all morning & work all day... Had some dinner and then I took Jack to hid first guitar lesson. He listened, payed attention and did everything the guy told him to. He returned home proud ;-)
I did a bit more work on the beam project and then spent the rest of the night on the N document.

080908 - Jack's 1st Day

080908 - Today is Jack's first day of school! Lori got to go with him, while Grant & I hung out playing. L&J back and he was all smiles, he had a great day and wonderful teachers. A very good start!
To celebrate Jack's first day Howdy, Jack and I ran to the store and got the ingredients to make Chicken Tortilla soup. Jack and I threw it in the pot and then my helper fell asleep. Getting ready for dinner and we had a special visitor, GmaW. We all had tortilla soup and it was fabulous! out to the backyard for wingerball and then mor beam preparation.

080907 Horse Parade

080907 - Up in the am working on the beams. Playing w/ the boys and then off to Delaware to the Horse Parade. Grant had a good time and liked the baby horses. Took some back roads home. Got some dinner, then home to get ready for another week.
080906 - After OSU managed to barley win I headed to lowes and got the rest of the supplies for the beam project. Came hame and made the headers, then called some guys for some help. While waiting for the help to arrive I played 'Wingerball', an adaptation of badmitten, soccer, football & volleyball... Jeff showed up and we got the first support header up and the second one started before the Bible Bangers got here. Dan, Joe and Pete helped get the second support header up

080906 - Soccer

080906 - Up and everyone to Jack's first soccer game. Jack did great and got a goal! Ran errands on the way home and then power washed the beams, THEY LOOK AWESOME! Had some lunch, the boys playing in the back of Doc's truck. Watching the OSU game, measuring for lumber for the beam project, then out to the playground for halftime.
080905 - Up and worked all morning. Got Doc's truck & headed up to the farm. Mom & Dad helped me sort through beams to find some we could use in the house. We measured & discussed, measuered and finally found ones we think will work. We cut them up then Dad used the tractor to get them into the truck, thank God! Drove home, my shoulders in knots, affraid the talgate would fall and the beams would be all over 71. Made it home, had some dinner, played some kickball, gave baths and watched a Fred Astaire movie w/ the boys.

080904 - Too Much

080904 - Up on calls & formulating a plan for the mold... What was to be a nice project has suddenly turned into a monster that need to be destroyed and sealed up. I made arrangements w/ Doc for a truck, the neighbors high pressure washer and Gma&paW to go up to the Farm and pick up some beams. After dinner L headed out to meet Jack's teachers & I took the boys to get Jack's soccer uniform and then to the playground. I will be on a mold hunt to find the source the rest of the night...
080903 - Up too early & rode bikes to school w/ Howdy. Had a loud hectic day at work but got a ton done. After dinner I ran Howdy to karate. He hasn't been there all summer and after a short refresher he was back to his black belt style. Ran home and picked up Jack, he said he would give it another try... Jack had a good time and remembered a lot of his moves, he said 'I love it'! We will see how he feels in a week or two. Home and L&I watched the new, first female vice presidents speech. Pretty impressive! While we listened we removed the rest of the wall between the dinning and living room. And we found MOLD inside the wall!!! We were up untill 1am making sure we got every piece ipof drywall, dust and rusty nail. Lori scrubbed the 2x4s w/ bleach to kill what mold we could get to....