A Brief Christms in Valpo
It was a tough decision for us, but Liz and I decided to visit Valparaiso for a brief Christmas evening with Bob and Julie.
Posts Tagged "bob"
Helicopters, Hyde Park
“The helicopters you are hearing are from a police manhunt. A high speed chase ended at 55th and blackstone and is now a foot chase. 3 are in custody, 1 is at large, hiding in people’s backyards, and considered armed.
Stay inside and stay safe!”
House Day, Anniversary Evening
So I guess I should start off this post with this detail: it’s our anniversary today!
But the house demands its house work time, and so we were both working to do our part during the day. We’ve got flooring guys coming on Monday, and had more prep work to finish before their arrival.
Screen Door, Tile Floor
Interesting detail: the imprint on the back says “United States Encaustic Tile Company, Indianapolis, Indiana.”
Our Small Visitor Returns
We’ve seen him a few times now, attracted I suspect by the clover and some of the berries growing nearby. I sometimes see him in the late morning, and late evening, wandering around. I also think I’ve seen a larger bunny, with a similar look (possibly a parent) also in the yard. Though I’ve never seen more than one bunny at a time back here.
Video Chatting with Julie and Bob
Despite it being all video and a little laggy… it still felt nice to once again hang out. Something we really haven’t done in a long while. We got to talking and joking towards the end, and it felt a bit more “normal.” Or as normal can feel, done entirely via video.
Newly Taped Dining Room
While there are some areas that are still wavy, the taper really did “hide our sins” in terms of some of the gaps and differences between our boards.
A Late House Night
All of us began working and hanging out in the dining room together, with Bob focusing on the duct work and Liz and I continuing to drywall. Despite the cramped space, we managed to navigate around one another pretty well.
Walls and Doors
All told, the track and mechanisms seem to be in good shape. One thing we’ll be trying to do is to see if we can track down a professional outfit that repairs vintage doors. Our pocket doors definitely need some love and help to bring them back to their original state, and it’s likely more than we’re able to do.
Las Catalinas, Day 3: Sensoria Rainforest Hike and Thermal Pools, Scotch Tasting
Despite a late night ringing in the new year watching fireworks on the beach, a group of us woke up early (6:00 AM) to drive about 2+ hours for a rainforest hike at Sensoria.
Las Catalinas, Day 2: New Year’s Eve at Margaritaville, Midnight Fireworks on the Beach
Lauren and her friend Laura wandered to find their own spot. And as Liz and I were walking together, somehow… Brandon and Natalie spotted us, and called us over. We sat with them a while and shared their good vantage point for the show.
Las Catalinas, Day 1: Lazy Day, Dinner at Patagonia Del Mar
On the drive to dinner, we encountered a few cows wandering the road. This happened more than once, during the length of our stay. Brandon and Lauren had been warned about “vacas negras” as something to keep an eye out for, while driving at night.
Christmas Dinner in Valparaiso
Today and tomorrow are a bit weird, in that I’m staying out in Valparaiso, IN but commuting in to Chicago. I rode in with Bob early in the AM (he came in to work on our place while I was at work), but took the South Shore line back out to Valpo at the end of the day.
Christmas Day: Indianapolis and Valparaiso
Bob got involved in the Facetime chat, asking Audrey some questions as she tried out the “lie detector machine” we got her as a gift. Apparently, it dings when you tell the truth but shocks you if you lie.
New Duct in the Living Room
First bit of backerboard installed. Eventually, a sheet of 3/8″ drywall will sit on top of this thing. And a second sheet of 1/2″ drywall will cover both the 3/8″ and the backerboard. The idea behind the backerboard is to ensure there’s always material to bite into, when installing the baseboard/trim. No need to hunt for studs, since there should always be something to dig into.