I got an email on Thursday morning from Home Depot saying our shed had come in. So, I met Michael there after work and waited. They brought out this huge box which we knew wasn’t going to fit into either car. So, we opened it and started putting the pieces in his car and my car. We ended up with a large piece tied to the top of Michael’s car. As we drove home, it kept pulling up on 1 side. I was behind him in case it came off. It didn’t and we made it home without any problems. Later that night, Michael put as many pieces in his car that he could. One of the roofing pieces would not fit so it’ll get brought out next weekend (it does fit into his car). Our deck table was delivered last week but it’s too big for my car (I had the lawn mower already in my car).

We bought a sail to cover the deck during the afternoon when the sun is out. It’s a 16′ triangle. We put it up and decided we should get a second one so that’s been ordered. It really makes a difference. When the sun was out on Saturday, you could feel the difference.

On Saturday, Michael and Anita assembled the shed under the deck. I had a tarp that could be used as a temporary roof. We unpacked and assembled the lawn mower. Michael started to cut the grass but then a storm blew through and started to pour. He got the mower into the shed before the rain got too heavy. We just had rain. I saw some pics of other places where high winds knocked down trees and caused damage to houses. We had the A/C on for Friday and Saturday. When we got up Sunday, the temps were in the 50’s. It was too cold to open the windows but I did turn off the A/C. Sunday was cloudy. We took a drive up through Rockport and headed to Good Harbor Beach. The beach was open but only a couple of people there. I saw a small group head into the ocean. It’s only 57 degrees. Add another 20 and I might try it. It was high tide. We continue to drive around the beach and headed south into Magnolia and Manchester By The Sea. We stopped at Singing Beach but couldn’t park, residents only.

Michael finished installed the backerboard in the upstairs bathroom. Earlier on Saturday we went to Floor and Decor in Saugus. They are finally open for browsing. We needed a marble piece for the shower curb. We went to Costco and the Lowe’s. I saw some chairs for the deck but figured they wouldn’t fit into his car. I ordered them on-line when we got back. I got a notification yesterday that they had shipped and will be delivered in Gloucester in 5-7 days.

Michael put a lotus pot on the big stump near the bolder and another on the rock that covers an old cesspool.

I’m in Gloucester all week and maybe next week. I’m having a estimate to take out a tree in front of the house tomorrow.

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I’ve been in Gloucester for the last 3 weeks and will be going back to Nashua on Sunday afternoon. I got to use the A/C the past couple of days. It started to get hot (80’s) and humid, neither of which I’m found of while working or sleeping. It works great, very quiet. It runs for a while and then shuts off for hours at a time.

Michael continued to paint the baseboards upstairs and then started putting the backer board on the shower walls in prep for tiling. While he did that I painted more the of the entrance way. They need another coat and that will be done. I also painted the wall next to the microwave. I hate painting. It takes more time to put on the tape then it does to actually paint. Michael brought out some more white paint for the baseboard and stair risers.

We bought a new mower for the grass that is slowly growing. I have the 2 wi-fi enabled sprinklers set up and will be monitoring them during the week. The mower will come into Nashua sometime next week and we’ll pick it up. I also ordered a table for the deck. We saw it at the Home Depot in Danvers but I’m not paying sales tax unless I have to.

On June 9th, we’re getting an estimate to take down the tree in front of the house. A branch from that tree fell late last year and took out the service line to the house. It cost over $800 to get that fixed. We have house insurance but there’s a $1K deductible. We need to get a estimate for 2 trees that have fallen over and are leaning against another tree in back. They’re not a danger but they need to come down.

We also bought a sail so that we can shield the deck from the hot sun in the afternoon. That has already come in but it’s sitting in Nashua at the moment. Next week.

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It’s Memorial Day weekend. Normally, we’d be having a cookout or going to a cookout or just having friends over. Not this year. We’ve pretty much kept to ourselves. I’ve been here 2 weeks so far and will stay a few more days.

Michael finished up with the gallon of high gloss paint so no more painting until I can get to Home Depot. We went to Lowe’s on Saturday to get some pressure treated wood, some for near the propane tanks to prevent the rock from washing away and some for the base of our shed that is supposed to be in this week.

We’ve spent a good part of the weekend adjusting the wi-fi timers used to water the grass. I bought the first unit which comes with a hub and got that set up pretty quick. The problem was that the tripod sprinkler doesn’t cover the entire area. So, I ordered a 2nd unit which came on Friday. We got that hooked up and then problems started to occur. I figured it out yesterday. The 1st unit uses wi-fi to communicate with it’s base station. The 2nd uses BlueTooth. The problem with BlueTooth is when you close your device, like a smartphone, the connection is broken. When you try to use it again, you have to re-establish the connection so you have to be in close proximity to the unit. The units are now next to each other just outside the basement door, with the hub located just inside the utility room. We now have both units set to water at specific times throughout the day, one at a time. I’ll see how it works this week.

Michael started adding the blinds to the 2nd floor which took a while since you could only do a couple of them before the Worx screwdriver needed recharging.

We also installed the screen door on the door to the deck. It’s like a shade, retracting into the housing when you don’t need it. We tried yesterday afternoon but it was so bright it was difficult to even see. We waiting until after dinner and installed it with no problem. We have 2 units like this in Nashua. When you have a party, you just open and people can come and go without having to open/close a screen door. In normal use, it’s a screen door. The pics show it opened and closed.

On Friday, the temps got into the mid-80’s. I had some windows open for the 1st time. We ended up turning on the AC. On Saturday, it was back to Heat. Later this week, the temps and humidity are supposed to go up. I’m all set.

Finally, Michael went on Friday night and captured this pic of the sun setting at Plum Cove.

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I spent all last week in Gloucester.  I had hoped to do some minor painting but only got a couple of the risers in the entrance way painted.  It’s very difficult position to sit and paint but I’ll get it done hopefully this week.

Michael continued to paint the door and window frames in the upstairs and also the closet in his room.  As you can see by one of the pictures, he cleared out all the vegetation in front of the bolder.  No more bushes and trees maybe some flowers.  Still waiting for the grass to grow.  I got a tripod sprinkler to make it easier to water.  This can cover almost the entire side yard.  And, to make it even easier, I bought a wi-fi enabled timer and it can be programmed from my phone or tablet.  It’s also smart enough to check the local forecast, and it rain is expected, it won’t water.  I have another unit on it’s way for the other faucet.  The timer tracks the water usage.  Water is Gloucester is $8.48 (for this current FY) per 1000 gallons or about 0.00848 per gallon.  I need to check Nashua’s rate and compare.

And finally, I got tired of the dirt streak and label on the window over the sink so this morning I took both screens down, removed the label and cleaned the window.  Fortunately, the dirt streak was on the inside and not the outside.  There’s no way to clean the outside of this window.  All the other windows in the house tip in so you can clean them from the inside (should I desire to wash them at all).  When I was growing up, we had to spend an entire day cleaning the windows in the house.  At first we had winter windows that had to be pull up from outside and hooked on the window.  These had to be cleaned before they were put on.  The inside window itself had to be cleaned.  Later on my Dad had the aluminum windows put on so you had to take the 2 thin windows into the house, clean them and put them back on along with cleaning the inside window.  I swore that when I bought a house, I wouldn’t clean the windows.  There are still some windows in Nashua that have never been washed in 37 years.

We also ordered a sail for over the deck so that we can sit outside in the sun if the temperatures ever go up.  It might hit 80 by the end of this week.

I’ve also included some photos from this time last year so you can see what it was like.

 

Another weekend in Gloucester.  I’m staying for the week to do some odd touchup jobs even though there is still some painting to be done.

We took both cars.  I arrived about 30 minutes before Michael who stopped at HMart in Burlington.

On Saturday morning we decided to head to Home Depot and buy some grass seed and peat moss.  We went to Danvers East store, right off 128.  There was a line to get in and it was drizzling and some snow flakes.  We decided to head to the other Home Depot on Rt 114, about 3 miles away.  We pulled up to a light and saw Lowes, so we went there.  No line.  Got what we needed along with a booklet on patio and deck furniture.  On the way back, it was like winter.  Just messy but May 9th?  They reminded us of a storm on Mother’s Day weekend in 1977 where some places got over 20″ of snow.  I don’t remember that but I was still living in Quincy where we might not have seen anything (being along the coast).  Got back and Michael continued to spread the remaining loam, then spread the peat moss.  Around noon, the sun came out.  Weird.  He spread some grass seed and set out the hoses so we can water it.  I ordered a wi-fi enabled timer that can be set to auto-water.  It gets information about the weather and I guess decides whether to water or not.  If I’m not here, I can program it using my phone.

Just after we got back, Michael installed the railing for my closet and then went on.  I spent the next few hours assembling the closet.  Michael came in and helped hang the panels and installed the fixed shelves.  I put the drawers together and installed them.  The right side may not be completely usable since it’s too close to that wall of the closet.  It was supposed to be hanging space but I have 2 other places to hang stuff.  Hey, I haven’t used a hangar in years.  Back in Nashua, I take the clothes from the dryer and lay them across a clothes basket.  I don’t hang, I don’t iron.

On Sunday, we had our Zoom worship service with 53 families.  After that, Michael started painting the upstairs.  I installed the door blind on the deck door. That should help with the glare when/if the sun comes out.  Now we just need some warmth.  It’s only 52 out and the wind has picked up.

So, during the week, I’ll work from home and then I can do the odd jobs.  Michael will come out on Friday afternoon.  As long as I continue to work from home, I may stay out here for weeks at a time.  The A/C here should be more efficient than the ones in Nashua.  And I might not need it if the ocean breeze comes in.

 

Another weekend in Gloucester.  Called in for another 4 cubic yards of loam.  That got delivered mid-week.

Woke on Saturday to an absolutely gorgeous day, blue sky, bright sun.  Temps got into the 60’s.  Michael spent most of the day spreading the loam.  He found an old wheelbarrow in Nashua that needed a little work, new handles and a new tire.  Sunday the temps got into the 70’s.

We also brought out the 12 boxes of my closet insert.  I studied the instructions for a short time and started with Step 1, install the 2 72″ rails.  I found the box that said the rails were in it, opened it, removed the tall panels and guess what, no rails or rail cover.  I called them and ‘oops’, they’ll send out replacements.  So much for installing this weekend.

So, I painted the rear door onto the deck.  It was finally warm enough to do it.  I have a door blind to install but that’s next weekend.  I also painted the cabinet tops that Michael had made the previous week.  We put them up before we left for the weekend.

Michael managed to spread about 3/4 of the loam.

We also bought a new grill at Costco and got a propane tank at BJ’s and got that filled.  We set it up and I cooked a nice steak for dinner on Saturday along with a salad.  We had gone to Market Basket earlier in the day.  They had changed how they managed people in the store.  There was a line waiting to go in, maybe a half dozen.  As we walked up, the MB person asked if either us were over 60, I said I was, they said go on in. Wow!

I’ve also include a pic of what the solar shade does.  As the sun sets, it floods the kitchen with sunlight and it’s blinding if you’re at the sink, so the shade cuts about 95% of the glare.  A definite win!

 

The temps are still pretty cold.  It rained on Friday, was sunny on Saturday (but temps only in the 50’s) and cloudy on Sunday.  Tonight we are supposed to get more rain and maybe another touch of snow.  It might hit 70 on Saturday.

Michael spent Saturday morning sanding upstairs, in prep for painting.  He also brought down all the unused wood and tools and vacuumed it.  We also starting hanging some artwork.  The big square one is the Sydney Opera House.  It’s a print I got the 1st time I went to Australia in 1984 (and I’ve been back 11 more times).  The other 2 prints were painted by the wife of a church member.  We have about 5 of her paintings so far and we need to get more.  The small plaque was given to me by a church member who visited me when I had my knee replacement.  We were limited to what we could bring out this time.  Half of my closet kit came last week, 6 boxes.  The remaining 6 boxes plus the door blind were delivered in Nashua on Saturday.  So next week we can install my closet.

We also had 4 cubic yards of screened loam delivered.  That’s the biggest truck we can get up our street.  We’ll probably need another 6 loads to be delivered.  Michael started spreading it on Sunday.  He also started another fire to burn the remaining brush.  It’s the last time we can have a fire until next January.  On the way home we got a propane tank and hope to bring out the grill for the deck and starting bbq-ing.

 

The weekend started off strange.  They were forecasting snow, yes snow, for Friday night.  We came out Friday afternoon just after lunch.  We got up Saturday morning and it was snowing, not hard but snowing anyway.  I checked the Nashua cameras and it was snowing harder up there.  It snowed until late morning then turned to rain.  All the snow melted.  Sunday was a gorgeous day, sunny in the 50-60’s.  Our Sunday worship celebrated Khmer (Cambodian) New Year.  After our Sunday worship Zoom service, Michael decided he wanted to burn the brush.  We only have until May 1st to do it, so he went out around 11am to start to burn.  It took a while to get the fire going.  Sean brought over the brush he had collected and soon there was a raging fire.  By 2:30pm all of the brush was burnt and the fire was starting to go out.  He sprayed water on it to make sure it was out.

Monday is Patriot’s Day in Massachusetts.  Normally, the Boston marathon would be on but they have postponed it until Sept 14.  Lots of events are either being postponed or cancelled outright.

We try to do very little shopping, relying on Costco or Sam’s for what we need.  They are big stores with lots of spacing.

We got my new desk assembled and used the other small one for the printer.  Next week we are going to start hanging pictures.

Michael finished the framing on Saturday and filled in the nail holes.  Today he was sanding it in preparation for painting next weekend.

The celebration of Khmer New Year is normally a big event in our church.  There’s lots of food and celebration but this year was muted.  In celebration of Khmer New Year, I hung a banner that Ol Ny and Charly Ott brought back from Cambodia last year.  In now hangs in our kitchen.

 

Happy Easter!

Didn’t post last week.  Forgot to take pics of the work that Michael had done.  I did purchase a new desk for my computer.  I don’t know where I got the measurement but I got a desk that was only 31″ wide.  For some reason, I thought I had only 30″ but it turns out the desk I was using was 48″.  So I ordered a 48″ desk that will be delivered this week.  I can use the other desk for my printer.

Last week we installed the solar shade in the kitchen but we couldn’t get it to deploy.  So last week I chatted with them and they hinted at what I could do.  We took the shade down with great difficulty and opened the side and released the shade pull.  I don’t know why they didn’t put a pull on it, instead it’s just a long bar but I didn’t what to stick anything up there and damage it.  We used it last night.  When the sun is setting, it comes in the kitchen window with such intensity it’s almost blinding.  This blocks the glare but let’s the light through and you can still see through it.  I’m pleased.

We also put shelves in the kitchen closet and this weekend I put down some shelf liner and moved the pots and pans and some other stuff into it.  No longer will everything be on the floor.  I also laid out my closet design and purchased that.  Don’t know when that will come in.  I also ordered the door blind for the door in the kitchen.  Again, who knows when that will come in.  I guess when I see the charge notification I’ll know that they are processing the order.

Michael continued with the framing up stairs.  Last week he got most of the baseboard installed and started to work on the windows.  To put the sill in, he had to round the sill using a router. I ordered a router, router table and router bits last week and they came in at various times.  He spent about 2 hours putting the router table together then he tells me the bit doesn’t fit in the router as it was supposed to.  So Saturday morning we headed for Home Depot in Danvers to buy another router.  We had to wait about 5 minutes to get into HD.  They were only allowing 50 people to be in the store.  We got another router, some clamps and some wood and headed back to the house.  He goes down stairs and I hear lots of banging and he says he got the bit to fit.  Don’t know if it’ll come out again but we’ll see.  I can return the just purchased router.

So, working all day Saturday (as you can see in the pics), he got most of the door frames installed and 2 windows.  He got all the sills cut and routered (if that’s a word).  The windows looked just like the ones on the 1st floor.  You can also see the new lights he installed going up the stairs.  Don’t know why the builder put the lower so high and the upper one so low.  They are just for show anyway.  Michael also hung a print that he bought on Facebook Market in the Nashua area.  It sort of looks like waves coming to shore.  It has some gold streaks that will pick up the sun during the afternoon and evening.

Next weekend is a long weekend for us, Patriot’s Day on Monday.  Normally the Boston Marathon would have been run but that’s been postponed until Sept due to the coronavirus.

We stopped to see some church members on the way home, keeping a good distance. Then we chatted with our next door neighbors.  The weather is perfect.  Our street is very quiet and typically does not have parked cars so there’s lots of room for people, babies and pets to walk.

We are into week 2 of social distancing.  I’ve limited my grocery activity to once per week.  Grocery stores have a lot more people than Costco or Home Depot.  On Friday afternoon, we stopped at Unos to pick up 2 pizzas for the weekend.  They had a 2 for 1 special so that gives us lots of food for the time in Gloucester.

This weekend Michael cleaned up the upstairs and finished painting the 2nd floor.  He also finished painting the wall leading to the upstairs and installed the lights that we ordered in August that finally came in in early March.  I started to paint my closet and started the search for a closet organizer.

I had a 2 hour Session meeting yesterday via Zoom.  We decided to postpone worship services until the governor of MA lifts the stay at home order.  It’s supposed to expire on April 6 but I think it will be extended to May 4th, the same as the governor of NH has ordered.

I did go to Market Basket this week at 5:40am during senior hours.  It wasn’t too bad but people stop in the middle of the aisle and then hog one side making it impossible for you to pass safely.  Make a shopping list, go in and get what you need and leave.  They were fortunately limiting people from buying too many of 1 item.  I have a problem this week, St Paul’s Kitchen is ceasing operation and the meals are being moved to the Life Connection on Appleton St.  Bernie and I have enough Sloppy Joes made but I have to buy bananas, cookies and bread before Wednesday.  We’ll see how that goes.

Yesterday, I took a look at Google Earth to see what our site looks like.  I was surprised to see that it showed the house and even Michael’s car that’s been here since January.

Next we need to order wood for the baseboards and door and window trim for upstairs.  The Building Center has shrunk their business hours so we’ll have to do it over the phone.  We got an estimate last week and then did some more measuring.  They will deliver for free given the amount of wood we need.  It’s going to cost a little over $700 for the framing materials.