Tag, you're it!

Alright. Looking back over my posts, I realized that a mobile post I did was not posted. Rats! A couple of weeks ago on a Wednesday night, our wonderful old building got tagged (as in graffiti) again. This time it was Soloe, V Epic, and somebody else. I'll paste photos on here later. The tagged windows, brick, the garage door, the borrowed boom lift, and the neighbors behind and to the west. I filed a police report, and the responding officer said that the "somebody else" is an adult teaching youngsters how to tag. You could see the instruction going on in the graffiti. For the kids, tagging the machine is a class B misdemeanor, but for the adult it's "organized crime activities", a felony. It's also a felony to tag a historic building. I've gotten most of it off, but it's a pain in the butt. I think I saw the young perps the Sunday before scoping out the location. Two tween or early teen Hispanic males (with 3 bicycles!) hanging out behind our building. I WILL press charges. Caveat Nota

Lights...camera...no action!

OK, got security lights up on the building to deter more budding graffiti artists. I wish they would realize that, as a historic building, it's a felony to deface it. and the adult training the kids to do it is engaged in "Organized Crime Activities" which can equal real jail time. Anyway, hope this helps.

Kathy, the love of my life and mother of my child, has decided that the kitchen needs a total redesign. (Glad she said so before I started framing it out.) I don't care for her plan, but if she ain't happy- ain't nobody happy! "She who must be obeyed" WILL be happy.

The plan now is to get plumbing (read bathrooms) and kitchen ready, then move into the great hall while we finish renovations. We can then sell the old house and infuse that capital into the project.

Speaking of plumbing: Had the water turned on this past week which resulted in an elegant waterfall in the basement. The waterline between the meter and th e house is ruptured. *singing* We dig dig dig dig dig dig dig in our mines the whole day through!... (dwarf miners from Snow White) Ah well, this too shall pass.

Performance anxiety

Lots of performing this week and only a little masonry. Going to be performing "The Prisoner of Second Avenue" on Thursday, singing Broadway Melodies on Friday, performing a brick ballet on Saturday, and showing the love to Mom on Sunday. Busy busy busy!

I have redesigned the new roof for the "baptistry" area that will require more brick work, but it will be worth it! Should have the water turned on Friday. Moving in the right direction again.

weather or not we should...

Had some very rough weather today. High winds, near torrential rains, hail, and a few tornados swirling around the area. But even so, we had no leaks and the plastic I had covering the hole in the wall stayed in place (thanks to parking the boomlift with its platform pressing the sheathing to the wall).

This weekend I'll have to forego the pleasure of working on the wall. We're going down to celebrate Kathy's grandma's birthday (nearing a century).

walls of Jerico...

Man! Working on the bricks in the back of the building, the bricks just fell out of place. The mortar was just powdery sand. The more I pulled the bricks, the worse it got. I think I'm going to have to replace most of the wall. Lots and lots of work. Had help from Glenn and Kathy. Also had the loan of a boom lift from the Tripletts.

Tomorrow, I'm going to finish demolishion and try to start laying my first layer of new brick. It will be my first major experience laying brick. I've have good advice from Cecil Crutcher who was a bricklayer for more than 50 years. Fingers crossed.

just anothe brick in the wall

Friday I will finally start the brickwork. Timothy and Elaine are lending me their "manlift" to reach those pesky second floor holes. Here's hoping I don't screw up.

Tomorrow night I'm singing with jim at the Bistro. Been horse for a week; hope this works.

Windows 2011

No, not a new computer platform. We're getting bids on new windows for the "manor". We've recently made some design changes that I think will be for the best. Can't wait till this summer so I can really get to work.

Things look good down there all trimmed and clean. Hope to be ready enough for a party on July 4. Plumbing will be a priority! I was just thinking: If we could get plumbing working, we could conceivably move into the Grand Hall and finish the upstairs as we go. It's worth discussing. Hmmmmm....