Casa Decrepit
Garden Report: May 31
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- Published on Thursday, 31 May 2012
Authors: ayse
So, big happenings in the garden.
The chicks are chicks no more, so we've been getting them used to the other chickens (and vice versa) while also giving them daily outside time. We fenced off half the chicken run for their exclusive use, so hopefully by this weekend we should be able to introduce them to life with the big girls. These...
Laundry Room Makeover
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- Published on Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Authors: ayse
The laundry room has been kind of chaotic lately. We got some big bins to store bedding in -- especially the guest bedding that we want to keep relatively fur free -- but they take up a lot of space on the floor. Add in less time for me to do laundry with the day job, plus more clothes being used (the clothes changes I go through in a...
Lower Steps (Mostly)
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- Published on Monday, 28 May 2012
Authors: ayse
It was nice to have a long weekend so we could get a lot of things done. Even if it was like having two Sundays in a row in terms of places where we get supplies being open.
We started today by laying out the lower stair treads. We knew that in order to get that 12 inch run, we needed to use a partial board, so it went at the very...
Top Step
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- Published on Sunday, 27 May 2012
Authors: ayse
The top step of the lower stairs was always going to be a bit funky. The decking changes direction here and the stairs were kind of fudged into place, so the angles are not clear and consistent. To make three boards fit across the top, Noel trimmed the boards down by about an inch each, then tapered them very slightly to fit.
Of...
A Deck Miscellany
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- Published on Saturday, 26 May 2012
Authors: ayse
Noel started the day by sanding the remaining plugs smooth to the deck surface. This took him literally hours, in which time I did some irrigation inventory, more research on deck sealants, and did some yard cleanup.
We're starting to work down the lower stairs now, so it was time to trim the deck boards back so they lined up with the...
First Finish Tests
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- Published on Friday, 25 May 2012
Authors: ayse
I got a small sampler set of ipe finish from Woodrich, so tonight I did a little sample test with it. So far the results are pretty inconclusive.
George helped me choose a couple boards and set them up for sampling. I got four different tones of stain, so two boards was just right.
The stains are pretty subtle (the darkness of the...
The Magic of Tools
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- Published on Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Authors: ayse
Noel bought a wonderful tool.
We had a rough day a while back trying to knock the heads off the plugs and then cut them flat to the deck. Lots of chipped plugs that needed to be drilled out and replaced. Lots of time and effort. Much sighing.
He'd seen this awesome thing at Japan Woodworker, and it was a little more expensive than we...
Garden Report: May 20
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- Published on Monday, 21 May 2012
Authors: ayse
We didn't get much done this weekend. I had a conference all weekend and Noel had some other things, as well, plus a lingering cold that had me telling him to not push it by working too hard in the heat.
The gardeners were originally going to come last week, but asked to reschedule to June 1 to fit in around another Alameda client....
Protostairs
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- Published on Saturday, 19 May 2012
Authors: ayse
Today, despite a persistent spring cold, Noel cut out and put in place the last two stringers for the lower staircase.
We've been using the stairs with boards just laid loose over them all week, but it will be nice to get the final treads and risers fixed in place.
There are some geometrical problems to solve, about how we want the deck...
A Little Piece of Our Hearts
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- Published on Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Authors: ayse
Having livestock, especially short-lived livestock, is not easy. You have to face death and your own mortality on a regular basis.
Today we said goodbye to Janis, who has been very sick since this winter when she had a prolapsed vent. This weekend when the chickens came out to play she had a hard time moving around, and eventually just...
