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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
I hate to say it, but we argued a great deal while working today. It wasn’t a very pleasant or stress-free experience. I got frustrated often, and Liz and I went back and forth a lot.
Towards the end of the night, we talked about ceiling drywall installation. Bob mentioned working to verify that a corner is a true 90, before proceeding… and needing to adjust the initial piece, if the angles are off.
Post-dinner, we played a few rounds of Secret Hitler, which Katie had brought over. Last year, we played Ticket to Ride, and this year we brought over Azul.
Liz and I parted ways, with her heading to Valpo for the traditional Apple Pie Baking Day while I headed back to HP with Bob to work on the exterior living room wall.
After finalizing our prep, it got to be around 11:00 AM when we started the pour. An hour or so into it, guess what: we realized Lowe’s didn’t delivery all 32 bags. They only gave us 25.
We were talking about politics some time ago, and Bob mentioned to me how a very specific speech left a strong impression on him. It was a speech that Jesse Jackson gave, when he was running for President back in the 80’s. Bob explained to me how profoundly that speech changed his way of thinking. It was a big deal, and really shaped how he then started to look at the world.
For Julie’s birthday, Liz arranged for a day of various activities in Chicago. Starting around 2:00 PM, we hit up a few different locations in the area for Open House Chicago.
On our way back, we got a note that several other family members were going to check out the Balloons over Marine Festival. So we re-routed, found a decent parking spot, and gathered at the edge of the park.