Grandpa at work

The new bathroom in the basement dislodged a lot of tools and miscellaneous small things (like drill bits, paint scrapers and various other pieces of hardware that people accumulate when you have a 90 year old house that is constantly needing work done. So, given that half the basement is now taken up with a growing collection of percussion instruments and the other is stuffed with boxes of stuff someone or other claims can't be thrown away because it is precious beyond belief, the only place left was the garage. The problem was a decrepit work bench with crappy drawers that was covered with more detritus and was too small and rickety to be useful. So, it had to go. We also had to make sure there was space for 5-6 "cords" of wood that we store in the garage every winter, which takes up the entire front half of the garage. Here is the start, with one incarnation of the tool cupboard doors in progress:

One door up, not sure if this is Door Version 1, 2 or 3 (the rafters were uncooperative).

Simon provides a closer shot in case further details are desired:

And here is a relatively finished product.

Now the space is very tidy (we'll supply more photos tomorrow) and we have been given strict instructions to consume vast quantities of of expensive jam (which comes in small jars) so that we can store all the various loose bits of hardware that need to be on display in the shelves specially made for jam-jar-sized storage units.

Birthday Booty!

A wonderful haul this year! Thank you!

The Place is Hopping

A seeming endless stream of visitors is going through our house this weekend. Thomas and Jimmy avoid the madness by spending 48-72 hour stretches in Thomas's room, playing various electronic games. They only come out to announce that they are hungry, quickly eat, and then retreat back into the room. Since they only wake up around mid-afternoon (their sleep cycle is from about 4 a.m. to around 4 p.m.), we don't actually see much of them.

Grandpa checks out the damage. Clearly a lot of work still remains to be done to make this garage a really top-notch work space.

Some scribbles to give the impression that some high-powered thought has been going on.

Nope, have to take a break and go swimming with Frederick in Fenton.  "They" said it would get to the mid 90s today, but it wasn't nearly that hot--which is a good because it was actually a nice day.

Sturge is here, too. Just a quick trip to pick up Jimmy but also put to work fixing various things around Grandma's house.

Peddling to an island

Today it was another SCORCHER! So Simon had the not too ridiculous idea to gather up all boys and head to a local body of water to rent a paddle boat. There were groans all round, but, weakened from the heat, they were easy to pour into the car. And, lucky for me (given my loathing of boats of ALL sizes), this one was limited to 4 passengers and so I got to watch them from solid ground.  Here they are, nearing the small island, which wasn't nearly as exciting as everyone hoped (no haunted houses or corpses to discover). 

Everyone is back in the boat, breeze fluttering through their hairs, with the paddlers paddling as fast as their little legs can spin.

Cousin Jimmy, here in Flint for his annual two week fix, looking pleased with the world and all it has to offer.

Thomas not so sure that life has given him his fair shake.

Renting the boat was a good idea and lakes are great and all that, but this 99 + degree weather BLOWS.  And tomorrow it is expected to be even hotter, and the day after hotter still and so on, and so on...I am DONE with summer.

Frederick the Fisherman

I know I don't have sealegs, I get seasick just looking at boats. But as has been posted several times before, Frederick not only loves water, Frederick loves boating. A few days ago Emily picked him up and announced that he was in for a very special treat: her dad was going fishing that day (he owns a small boat as 99% of Michiganders do) and she and Frederick were going along. Frederick was excited about the idea of riding a boat, but this fishing notion just seemed like something we do when we go to the pet store and buy a few feeder fish to toss into the pond. Here he is relaxed in the boat.

Here he is, swimming in the lake.

Frederick has put out lines and now had to wait...(he is signing 'fish'). The waiting is the hardest part, but he doesn't look put out at all.

Holy moly! Frederick reels in the catch of the day! A 13" walleye! (Emily's dad had the pleasure of eating it for dinner.) And, according to Emily, his squeals pretty much ensured that every fish in the lake was alerted that some serious fishing was going on.

Frederick is clearly very pleased with himself.

If only every day was as good as that day...

Saving Detroit with Zombies!

Makes sense to me!  No liability issues with letting the public roam around in collapsing buildings...