Road Trips 2012 & Real Estate

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

Hi, I can't go back a forth like you can. We have about 900 miles between us. We have been doing things around our old house and I have to take a trip soon to get some things done at the new house. I needed to have my furnace repaired/updated and that cost me quite a bit. I had to move a large cabinet to uncover the floor hatch. Today I moved it back. We also re-located a huge framed mirror. I have a bracket that I made so the mirror won't fall off of the wall and it also puts a nice tilt on it. Maybe I could put a snow plow on the front of my new "Powermover". It's pretty heavy and has five wheels. I have to take care of business up North, finish my washer/dryer install, buy and install some other odds and ends, and bring a small U-Haul trailer loaded with stuff with me. Hoping to make my trip next week. Had plenty of things that had to be done around here and seeing my Dentist on Tuesday will hopefully be the last so I can go.

Hi, Gene; Since my last post, on July 3rd I had my back surgery to remove all traces of Basal Cell. I previously packed a small U-Haul trailer with lots of stuff. Brought it to the new house and flew back home for my surgery. I flew back up North and my son-in-law brought a trailer load of more stuff up here for me. Flew back South to sell our house and we hired a mover to bring even more stuff up North. Each package, box, or piece of furniture was numbered. We had 100 items, mostly boxes of stuff. Since we had nothing left, we had to drive Lee's car, packed to the gills, two people and a dog. Will we ever get everything unpacked and find places for them? Or will we give more stuff away. We still don't have a fenced in yard and we don't want coyotes to get Boo-Boo. we left the inside door to that garage open at night so Boo-Boo could take care of business in the garage. I bought a new door and had it cut for a new doggie door. Boo-Boo wouldn't go through it. Forgot how to use a doggie door? Well long story still long he uses the doggie door now. We had to buy things that we didn't want to move and / or not worth bringing. My first project was to build a book shelf for the kitchen. Had to be a size that no-one made, so I built it. I hope I'm done with surgeries and never want to move again.

(1.) Boo-Boo's new doors. [inside house]

(2.) Boo-Boo's new garage ramp. [inside garage]

(3.) New book shelf that I made.

(4.) Another view of book shelf. [today I painted it white]

[Lily&Me]

Good luck on your back surgery, Gene.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.


Maggie

[Gene]

Thanks Maggie.

Bob, bookcase looks good. I have to build one in the master bedroom, but can wait until November. The bedroom one is because the previous owners didn't design the wall the bed backs up to for a king size bed and 2 nightstands. So I have to extend the wall at nightstand height outward into a passage that is very wide, fortunately. I hope I can do as nice a job as you did. I'll put tile on the top to make it look cool. We also decided to tile over the dull window sills and found some porcelain tile on sale. The tile for the top of the bookcase and the tile over the doors was also on sale. Lowe's sale items are decorating for us at bargain prices.

The weather has changed. We mountain folk can feel winter coming in late August. The days shorten fast from now until November, temps start dropping, and in the southwest, the monsoon. Lots of rain lately, much more than usual, and things are looking less brown (a false spring). Cloudy days mean cooler temps than a few weeks ago. Fall is a wonderful season in Colorado and we look forward to it, though it has begun.

Gene

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, I also was going to put tiles or something on the window sills of our old house, but somehow it never happened. Today I painted Dusty's door and brought Lee's book shelf inside. We will let the paint cure for a few more days before putting things/books on it. My secret is to buy good wood and use Kreg pocket screws.

[Gene]

Bob, don't forget the glue! Pocket screws are great though I've never done them. I may be able to do rustic carpentry, but furniture is a big stretch for me. I like to sink screws and put wood plugs (sometimes called buttons) over them. I like the way they look and I don't need a special tool for pocket screws. But you have to sink the screws just right or the plug can sink too much, or use rounded ones that have a lip so they can't sink in. You also have to drill a perfect clean hole and Forstner bits can prevent tear out, but in soft wood you can still get tear out. Mortise and tenon are also somewhat beyond me, but I may try dadoing the shelves in and doing something like that on top. I'll use tile on top that matches the tile over two doors.

We would have used the same color tile on the sills, but it was a close out item and closed out before we could buy more. We bought a more neutral tile for the window sills that comes closer to matching the colors there. Now we have to see how many tiles we need for the "great room" and see if we can buy enough close out tile for that. Because the original sills don't stick out much, and the paneling extends the wall out 3/4", the molding under the sill comes out further than the sills, so I have to close the gap with tile—I'll probably tile right onto the old sill and across the gap. Using 6" bullnose tiles, I can cut off the back side so it fits over the old sill, the gap, the wood molding and extends out enough to cover the thin tile strips I'll attach to the molding. Those strips are the ones I'll cut off the bullnose tile. You can use the special (and expensive) counter edge tiles, but they are ok for a kitchen, but too much for a sill. Tile is a cheap way of accenting areas and looking a bit more special (as long as you already have the tools).

By the way it isn't really a "sill" on the inside. The piece in front of the window commonly called a "sill" and the piece on the wall under it are called the "throat" and the "horn". I can't remember which is which.

Gene

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, sill is good enough for me. Watching the house builders, I hear all kinds of terms I never heard of before, and will never use. I like the pocket screws because they are pretty well hidden and make a strong joint. I don't use glue because if something happens to a piece of wood, I could cut another one and screw it back together. That's my thought even though I have never yet done it.

I just had to look it up because I forgot; One of the framers calls Sap. Pitch. I sat on a board and got some sap on my pants. They told me that WD-40 would remove it but I didn't bring any chemicals with me. I have to start all over again. One can at a time as needed. I still call it sap.

[Ag&Au]

I'm not saying it is correct. However, I've always called stuff that comes from deciduous (hard) wood sap. It its dripping from coniferous wood, I call it pitch.

Here's more ideas.

What’s the Difference: Pine Sap, Pitch, or Resin? | DOWN and OUT

Ken

[Gene]

Sounds like you 2 saps have pitched your stories.

I could not resist the opportunity for multi-punning. It resinated with me and I'm going to stick to it.

I tiled the first sill today. It looks quite elegant.

Gene

[Lily&Me]

I am intrigued by the idea of tiling sills.

I have two front windows whose sills are a bit marred by the nails of dogs.

Pictures, please. I might try this myself.


Maggie

[Gene]

Maggie, I'll get the photos to the computer later. But a few things to think of—there may be different materials to adhere the tile to and they may expand and contract at different rates. This can make the tile bond weak, so use thinset as it sticks better than other tile adhesives. Also consider epoxy grout as it will last longer though it is pain to use, it is very strong.

What are your sills made of? Maybe they can be refinished.

Gene

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by Gene

... This is outpatient surgery to remove one cyst in the lowest vertebra. ... He said if only the cysts were removed, they would come back. I did some research and the studies show a 1 to 20% chance of that. The studies with the most people had the lowest percent recurrence... No one tells me much about recovery except to say don't do this and that. No one tells me what I can do... It is supposed to take 6 weeks to recover...
Gene

Gene,
I had the same surgery in 2006. Geez, has it been that long ago? Mine was a bit higher but I cant recall the exact bone name or number, the scar starts 4" above my belt line and goes upward for another 4". Anyway, I talked to a couple of neurosurgeons and I found one I was comfortable with, I really think that is an important thing to do, be comfortable with the surgeon. My cyst was actually inside the spinal sack and pinching off the nerves resulting in my left leg spazzing out. I understod it is a well known issue but fairly rare occurance. They kept an eye on me for several years incase another one sprouted up but I was finally released a few years ago.

Recovery stunk.

My proceedure was on a Friday - don't do it on a Friday - everyone took off Saturday, Sunday and by Monday I was sure I had been left for dead by the experts. Laying flat on my back for 3 days was miserable when combined with muscle spasms in the surgery area. Breathing exercises and making me cough earned the hospital staff a special place in the dark memories of my mind. I got to go home after 5 days only to get sent back to bed rest after the spinal tissue started to leak and formed a bubble.

4 weeks later my lovely wife rolled me into the cab of the truck, hitched up the Airstream and took me camping. A couple of weeks after that I waddled back to work.

Long term effects? Well, I never could touch my toes so now I have an excuse...

[Gene]

Sounds like they did more than I am supposed to get. But they do rush you out the door these days and want you to keep moving so scar tissue doesn't form on the nerve. I will be rolled into the truck back seat where I can lie down to go home the next day after a night in a motel. It is being done on a Monday, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do if something goes wrong—emergency room or what? I'd change the group even though the doc seemed right if I wasn't so deep in to this.

Gene

[Lily&Me]

Originally Posted by Gene

Maggie, I'll get the photos to the computer later. But a few things to think of—there may be different materials to adhere the tile to and they may expand and contract at different rates. This can make the tile bond weak, so use thinset as it sticks better than other tile adhesives. Also consider epoxy grout as it will last longer though it is pain to use, it is very strong.

What are your sills made of? Maybe they can be refinished.

Gene

They are wood of some sort.

They could be refinished, I'm sure, I just liked the idea of the tile.


Maggie

[Gene]

Here are some photos:

1. The new door to the deck from the "great room".

2. Finished part of bedroom with new door, tile over door (can't really see it well—porcelain in dark terra cotta), new soffit, lamp, Navajo rug, tools lying about.

3. Another new door to master bath, tile above, soffit area to right, another Navajo. The dresser is oak and 100+ years ago this was called "cottage furniture". That meant it was cheap for the lower class. I found it in the back of an antique shop years ago, refinished it and have used it ever since. The wood, though not quarter sawn, is beautiful.

4. Detail of the tiled window sill. It has not been grouted yet as we haven't found epoxy grout yet. The original sill is white cultured marble (not natural marble; compressed limestone dust) and the wood trim under the sill means two different surfaces underneath. I hope this works.

Gene

[Lily&Me]

Beautiful work, Gene.

I don't have anything with which to cut those large tiles, was thinking of the little ones that come on a backing you just lay down, then grout.

I like the idea of tile over your doorways, too.

We have ceramic tile in about half of the house....hearth, kitchen/dining, back hallway and into the bathroom. All the same light, neutral color. Love it.

I'll have to look around at what's available once I am home. Might be a good project for my housebound self over the fall and winter holidays.

Thanks for the pics!


Maggie

[Gene]

Maggie, I don't know anything about the ones with a stick on backing. If you windows collect moisture in the winter and drip onto the sill, a more water resistant adhesive is probably needed. You can rent a tile saw and learn how to cut tile. Best to start with a small job like a vestibule or around a wood stove.

I've been doing tile for a long time, so what seems easy to me may not be for someone new to it, but anyone can learn.

Gene

[Lily&Me]

I'll look into the options.

Thanks.


Maggie

[Gene]

Update time. First Maggie, the grout I used was called something like "Power"; it is a TEC product and much stronger (and 3+times from expensive) than regular grout.

I had surgery 9 days ago and am healing. The first week was often uncomfortable between the surgical site and my sciatic nerve slowly getting used to nothing pressing on it. But I can stand up straight, walked 2/3 of mile on the treadmill yesterday and washed windows today. I can't see the stitches, but Barb says everything looks fine (no bleeding, gangrene, loathsome things). So cyst removal has helped and I hope to get back to my normal life soon.

The whole medical process, aside from the surgery, was pretty awful. Scheduling problems abounded, contradictory instructions were common and minutes before the procedure, they told me I'd have to stay overnight. A new Medicare rule no one had bothered to know. We looked for a loophole (Barb called a lawyer friend who is conversant with elder law and he didn't know a way around it). So I had to stay on an uncomfortable bed that night eating mediocre food and Barb slept on a futon in the room. It was a private room at least and they didn't bother me during the night. But every time I woke up, they wanted me to hit the button if I wanted to use the bathroom. Apparently they get marked down if you misbehave (they know you got up because the heart monitor goes flatline). There were very few people on the floor, but the nurses weren't always very quick. When you have to go, sometimes you really have to go, so I would disconnect myself sometimes. I was discharged pretty early (if you tell them you'll just leave if it takes too long, they threaten you that Medicare won't pay) and we got on the road by mid-morning.

The drive to Denver was hard. My back and leg hurt a lot and the last 125 miles I lay on the back seat of the pickup. I can tell you I-70 has many, many potholes and bumps because I felt them all. I was able to sit up all the way back, though the last 30 miles were getting tough. Gradually I will step up exercise and I have a ways to go to get in good condition again. Hopefully the nerve does not have permanent damage (2 back surgeons said it shouldn't). Remodeling will occur again, probably sooner than the doctor would want.

Still no offers on the old house. The realtor finally told Barb some things she thinks should be fixed (she didn't want to upset us). Why did she wait until the end of the selling season? We are going to get bids, mainly on leveling a floor that bothers people. This house thing is the worst experience I have ever had with real estate. Usually I sell houses fast and for a good profit.

Gene

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, Gene; Sounds like you made it alright. Keep moving, but let things heal up too. I don't know if it is the same thing, but I heard that if they treat you as an out patient [no over night stay] you will get a huge bill instead of Medicare or your insurance paying for it. So it might have been better for you to stay. We were also hoping that you would have said that your house sold too. Maybe time to lease it out. That was one of our possible options.

[Lily&Me]

Sounds like you are making a good recovery, Gene, and I hope that continues.

One of these days, that house will sell. There is someone out there your house is perfect for.



Maggie