PROJECTS - Week of 10 Sept

The week has flown by. In retrospect, the week divides naturally into projects, school and fall.....so I will do three or four posts and be caught up.

Projects continue - always. Michael has been wanting to fix the screen door from the dining room to the deck. It was more involved than first thought.

The previous owners had sealed this door. There was no deck. When it was unsealed the door had some rust on it, and the paint was in bad condition around it. Alex and Nolan scraped and sanded the paint from the door frame.

Michael gave it the first coat of paint....

We didn't look at this home as carefully as we did our first three choices....we didn't expect to buy this home. That isn't bad - but it does mean we are finding things we didn't notice on our trips through the house. One of those things is the fact there were SEVEN different colors of fixtures/knobs/light plates in the master bathroom.  It was awful....We've changed knobs to a color that matches this faucet, which matches the towel racks and toilet paper dispenser (none when we moved in - now hooks for towels, two towel bars and a dispenser)....we did not change out the tub/shower fixtures - but the curtain hides them most the time. We still have the lights to do in here......but....Michael got the last of the fixtures changed over this week.....

Which led to more trips to Spenard's and Lowes as he needed to replace the plumbing under here....

When the plumbing company came to suck out the sewer we noted  3/4 of the clean out tubes had been broken - either mowed or driven over. Michael got new, colorful ones and they are installed...easy to avoid with the mower and easy to find in the snow.

Cory, Michael and the boys went to Anchorage and came back with a stove. Michael has been living on Craig's list and found this NEW - no soot, no fire marks at all Osburn, woodstove for $350. SCORE.

Michael and Cory replaced the glow plug in the downstairs oven. They also replaced the hinges in the upstairs oven - our warranty will cover appliances but not the knobs or hinges which both needed repaired. We are still waiting for them to come do the work they will cover......the repairman says 2 - 3 more weeks. I am used to cooking with two burners and guessing oven temps - so we're doing fine. 

These photos could be school OR projects. Alex spent an hour each day hauling up chunks of wood the guys had cut down......and splitting it. Michael's doctor said exercise is anything that elevates your breathing. This counts for P.E.

He was excited to do the last wood on Friday (the 15th). 

Unfortunately, he mentioned his accomplishment to Michael, which led to cutting down two more trees on Saturday.

The door got a final coat of paint. 

None of these are giant projects, but taken together we are making a dent on the repair list....one project at a time.  We really wanted the retaining wall and a downstairs walk-way in before winter. I don't see that happening. We need to buy the  insulation for BreZaak to put around the RV.  I still dream of a hot tub - even came up with a solution - but no  one seems to remember how cold it gets during winter as well as I do. 

Pretty sure they are sold out now anyway - it's been a week since they were clearanced. LOL 

Termination Dust

I love the changing of seasons. We've been in spots the last fall/winter where it seemed to just get rainier when fall and winter hit. I have looked forward to distinct seasons.  There isn't a lot of color here, but enough to make it fun to watch the trees. 

Even more indicative of a season change than leaf color is, "TERMINATION DUST."  This is the first sprinkling of snow on the mountains. We have been noticing snow on the mountains since Mid August - but not on OUR MOUNTAINS. 

Stacia and I noted termination dust on a new mountain as we drove home from Wasilla on Wednesday. The closer we got, the surer we were that it was termination dust on OUR MOUNTAIN....

Yes, it is! The trail head to these peaks are at the end of our road....Michael said we had to wait and see if the snow stayed over night before we could say it was termination dust. He noted we wouldn't know for sure until it began to come down the mountain. Winter is truly here when the snow reaches us at the bottom of the mountain. 

Still snow on the peak on Thursday. 

 Quite a bit more by Friday....

It's official - the seasons are changing. Fall is here and winter is fast on it's heels.

Are you ready for a fun fall contest? When do you think the snow/winter will arrive down here in the valley? ⛄⛄⛄It must be enough snow to stay for a bit...not just flakes in the air.  Leave your vote in the comment section and there will be a small prize for the person who comes the closest.  I'm pretty sure Michael will want to firm up what constitutes "snow in the valley," so I'll add that info later. 

*Note none of these photos were taken on our street nor from our yard....just driving home. Our street is off this road. 

God Speed, Jamin

We've been telling a lot of Jamin stories around our home this week. 😀😅😀One thing I've learned in 26 years of parenting Jamin, is never to get between him and his goals. He wanted to run in college; though he'd never competed before....Yep, coach finally let him try out and he blew away the time set by the coach to train with the team, was awarded a scholarship, was team captain and breaking records before he was through with college.  He wanted to get two masters - he did it. He wanted to try out for the Marine Corp and he's earned a spot to go do just that.

We've had a great time with Jamin here in Alaska!  He found a summer job, but was always available to take the kids hiking, go fishing, help with house projects, just sit and visit...and today, we had our farewell meal with Jamin before he headed for the airport. Larissa grabbed this photo before I could jump up to do it. Which means she is not in it, but I am. 😏

L - Josiah, Stacia, Michael, Nolan, Arielle, Alex, Jared, Me, Jamin 

We're glad he was here to help with the Gherkin Alaskan Migration. He helped drive a U-haul truck up the Alaska Highway with Josiah. A month or two later he and Josiah drove BreZaak's things up the Alaska Highway.  It seems wrong somehow for Jamin to leave these two up here, and yet spending the summer up here anchors him, in some way, to Alaska for us. There aren't a lot of Marine billets in Alaska, but Mom can hope. 😉

Jared, Jamin, Josiah 

Exchanging salutes....

He's off to Marine Officer's Candidate School - and that seems right too. 

God speed, Jamin. See you at Christmas! 

Hanging the Blasted Photos

Everyone is different. It's o.k. for us to be different. It doesn't make one right, or one wrong.

I am fairly spontaneous in life and school. However, I need the house to be organized in order to enjoy spontaneity. This could be because our life has routinely been insanely busy and if the home isn't in shape - it makes us all cranky. We had seasons like that - and I refuse to go back there. When family members voice they need a clean room to be at peace, I listen.  It's something I CAN provide.

Organization is key when one moves frequently. The peanut butter is ALWAYS above the toaster, the bread basket is always beside the toaster, the silverware is always nearest the table, the whatnot is always in the nightstand drawer, etc - regardless of the house.  Because our family is wired this way, I strive to be "moved in" within one to two weeks. I've had lots of practice and we are usually done, except photos hung, after the first week. I try to accommodate those who need order and structure and those who enjoy chaos. I tend to think of it is organized chaos. This balance is hardest to maintain during a move - and I'm glad to be entering a season in life which may not include moves every 2-3 years.  Ask me in a few years - growing up an MK, marrying a pastor who went into the military, frankly I don't know what it's LIKE to be in one place for many years.

 As Michael struggled to do major projects in a garage yet to be organized, I realized I feel the same frustration about schooling, my big project, in a house which is foundationally disarrayed. We create a special kind of chaos while we school. We have stretched out the move-in process: as we painted, hosted friends and family, worried about Jared, helped the older Gherkins to feel settled, and have a myriad of outside projects to complete before winter. We've been in the house a month. Photos on the walls make the house feel finished. As my young friend, Allie, said, "This house is nice. It will be really pretty when you get the pictures on the wall." She was sitting by the tower of living room photos at the🐽 time.

I have previously been asked not to hang photos. I tend to be fairly haphazard about it, in the eyes of some, though it makes sense in my mind. Michael has a process - and it looks great when he is done. It takes time. He takes hangers off the backs and puts new ones that work better at each location, he tapes the wall, marks the center on the photo, changes some frames so the same color is on one wall.....he's good at this. Michael and Jamin spent a good part of a day hanging photos. He spent another couple afternoons/evenings hanging photos.  The job is harder as we go from 15 foot walls to rooms with WINDOWS and very little photo space. I've decided which ones will be stored, some have gone to the thrift store, some may be re-gifted. Arielle and I figured out where we'd put the photos and took photos of the arrangements. We did not put a nail in the wall.

The last photo Michael will hang for a while is hung

Michael spent all of today working on photos. The photos are done in the hallway. They are done in the living room. They are done in the master bedroom. Shelves are up in the entry way. He needs to move on to other projects. Therefore, I hung photos up in the game room and laundry room. I will finish the bathrooms and kids' rooms. I also rearranged some photos in the nook to add a photo he took from another setting.  He has promised not to get upset when they aren't perfectly level or spaced. I have promised not to bug him about the couple of things we are finding that still need to go up. There will be winter days for finishing.

Arielle is working on arranging all our family on this bigger, Super Scrabble board. The original one, Krista made us, will stay in Uchi.

Photo removed until Baby S makes his arrival

The kids found it expedient to get out of the house at some point.....they moved the trampoline back and enjoyed some trampoline dodge ball.

Yuuki - Our Protector

It seems pesky pigeons (or maybe they're doves I've not gotten a close look) like to perch on our new deck's railing.

This offends Yuuki.

I didn't notice them until I heard her growling. This is not her norm.

She was at the window, pointing and growling....

Even when they all flew off, she maintained her state of alertness.

She does her part to protect us from dangerous pigeons.

Windy Game Day

We had WIND last night. The power went out at 0200 and didn't come on again until around 0900. This is good. It illustrated for us the need to get a wood stove before winter.  I hadn't realized, in a power outage, we'd have no water. We have a well and a pump.  We'd also have no heat in the basement. We are considering options now. First line of attack is a woodstove and we have one to check out on Sunday. Craig's List is Michael's friend.

The trampoline blew from near the stairs, legs flew off and the mat stopped when it hit the tree.

A couple of trees blew down in the woods. 

We had our septic pumped today. The young man was great fun - he is a Red Green Fan. He couldn't find the "vault" we were told exists either. He put our mind at ease on a couple of counts - or at least he put my mind at ease -  Michael tends to take more convincing on some of these things. 😉

Travis, Cat and the kids headed down the road.

Jamin and Jared dropped by. They have been planning a new game, "Riskopoly." Yes, you've guessed correctly. This was their maiden attempt - they wrote rules and will refine them.

One plays Monopoly and Risk at the same time. The money made in Monopoly finances the armies in Risk.  I'm not so sure what they think about the game, but they had fun spending the afternoon together. 

Serious business

Jamin is letting Nolan store his risk game. It's bigger than the one he has. 

We kept working on hanging photos. 

Jamin's Farewell Dinner

As much as we've tried to ignore it, Jamin will leave for Marine Officer Candidate School (OCS) at the end of this week. We set about to find a night when "everyone" could have dinner before he left.  We did pretty good, I think. Josiah had the night off. Jared had recovered enough from his heart adventure to join us. Unfortunately, Cory and Izaak both ended up missing. Cory is in WA. Izaak began his new job this evening. 

This picture of Michael holding Gideon Michael under a sign that says, "Cherish Life's Simple Pleasures," melts my heart in all kinds of ways. 

It's enough. If I allowed myself, I could pine away for Krista and my folks when we get together. But this is more than enough, more than we dreamed....eight Gherkins and their family's have lived here this summer. Seven out of  nine in the area as we move into fall/winter is amazingly enough. We know Jamin and Krista will visit us as often as they can. We are so blessed to have added Izaak, Larissa and Cory to our fold - as well as the next generation.  It's good, and right, to chase after God-given dreams - even if they lead you from family. 

Below Bre, Jamin, Jared, Alex and Josiah look over an "old" copy of Choosing Joy - the blog in print. I need to make it a winter project to get more years ready to print. 

Front right - Stacia, Yuuki, Bella, Allie, Archer, Cat, Anakin, Bre, Jamin, Jared,
Alex, Josiah - Larissa and Gideon behind Cat - and Arielle in the recliner - Nolan?

Arielle and Baby S - 76 days till due date

Aunt Larissa and Gideon 

Gemma needs to buy toys for her house - something besides phones

Gemma and Bella

 Izaak came home from work before everyone went home. He likes his job and looks forward to seeing how God is going to use his time at this job. Bella was happy to see Daddy, and promptly blew us all "love kisses." She was ready to go.  

Uncle Cy, Izaak, Bella

Cat took the kids to their RV to sleep. BreZaak left for their abode. The boys and Larissa headed back to Eagle River; Arielle had long gone to her comfy bed. The house quieted down and these four settled in for a game of Dominion.

Michael, Travis, Alex, Nolan

We didn't get to play near enough while Travis and Cat were here. I'm glad they were able to play a game. Travis and family will leave in the morning.