Workshop upgrade (new window)

June 30, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

My goal is to replace both windows and the door in the workshop this summer. I have a door in the garage that is ready for me to install and have been looking for windows. I was able to find a used replacement window for the east-facing window, but couldn’t find a used one for the north-facing window. In addition, I had the window a/c unit in the north-facing window. It is a heavy unit, and I haven’t been taking it out in the winter, but that means lots of air leaks around the window.

I decided to permanently install the a/c unit so I could insulate around it properly, and add a smaller window on top of the unit. I picked up a bottom-line replacement window (it is a workshop) and started working before it was too hot outside to work. The window sill was replaced with a piece of reclaimed decking material. All of the other wood used to frame the window was either reclaimed or pulled from the trash bin.

Window frame with new sill and spacers for the air conditioner. Reclaimed decking for the sill, and pressure treated lumber reclaimed from the same deck for the spacers.

A/C unit installed. Preparing to install the replacement window. A piece of reclaimed decking was put on top of the unit to give the window a place to land.

Project completed! Just in time for the heat. I still have to add insulation around the A/C unit – but good enough for now.

Sunday at Mystic Seaport

June 24, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

This morning I dropped Ben off at the Seaport for his first day as a junior volunteer. Susanna’s dad, Dan, joined Isabella and me for a morning at the museum. It was the wooden boat show weekend, so the museum was packed. We arrived at the museum more than 30 minutes before opening to drop Ben off and there was already a line to get in the door.

Dan, Isabella and I spend a few hours walking around enjoying the show, although all Izzy wanted to do was meet dogs and throw gravel into the river.

Boats, Mystic Seaport Museum

At the water table, children’s musuem, Mystic Seaport

Weekend Pictures

June 18, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

A few pictures of Sunday. We spent the afternoon by the pool to escape the heat.

Enjoying a cool dip in the pool on a hot day.

Plus a few of Izzy at the Mystic Seaport from the previous weekend:

Isabella in a barrel at the cooperage, Mystic Seaport Museum

Checking out one of the sawhorses at the shipyard at Mystic Seaport Museum.

Workshop time with Benjamin

June 11, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

Tonight Ben decided to head out to the workshop to work on his chess set. We have milled lumber for half of the pieces (the white pieces) and glued up the wood for the board. He put tape down on the board tonight, and I helped him mark out 2″ x 2″ squares. He cut out the individual squares and then used black spray paint to paint the dark squares. The light squares will remain natural wood color.

In the meantime, I spent some time cleaning up window trim (so I can paint it tomorrow) and picking up the workshop.

Cutting out the chess squares on the board.

Bathroom Addition (Update)

June 10, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

We have been back to somewhat normal for a few weeks, and have had a second fully functional bathroom for a little over a week (finally). The project isn’t totally done, but I only have smaller things to wrap up (window trim, some electrical, and the bedroom closet).

Here is what the project looks like now:

Another Sunday at Mystic Seaport

June 10, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

The weather this weekend was much more pleasant than last weekend. The museum was pretty busy, but that meant lots of dogs for Izzy to pet.

Exploring the shipyard at Mystic Seaport

Saturday at the Mystic Seaport

June 4, 2018 ~ Chuck ~ Leave a comment

Izzy playing with rocks at the Mystic Seaport on Sunday.

We finally had warm enough weather to visit Mystic Seaport over the weekend. Will and Ben had their orientation for being junior volunteers this summer. The rest of us got time to walk around and try to find shade.

Izzy loves finding rocks and tossing them in the river, so she was happy for most of the morning. The only real melt-down came at lunch. Susanna, Ben, Izzy, Susanna’s cousin, Anna, and I took a break from the humidity in the air-conditioned galley at the seaport while Will spent 3 hours sailing with the community sailing program he will hopefully be volunteering with this summer. Izzy was happy to just hang out until I pointed out to her that she had scrapped her knee. It had stopped bleeding, and she hadn’t noticed it until then. However for the next day and a half she kept pointing to her “ouchie” on her knee. And she spend the hour after lunch crying about her knee.