The old steps from our breezeway into the house have always been difficult to traverse for humans and dogs. They were too short and abrupt and due to the height difference between the breezeway floor and the house, very tall.
So, fixed that this weekend. Went full Frank Lloyd Wright and cantilevered the top step/platform out to a bench. The kids would always sit right in the doorway to put their shoes on and then no one could go in or out. Maybe they won’t now. 50/50 chance.
I’ve been quiet here on the interwebs lately. Hardly still in the real world though. Very busy with work, hockey season and working on Emma’s room. I realized I hadn’t posted an update for awhile. Got the first coat of primer on the walls today. Chugging along. If I’m done with it by January 1, I’ll consider it a win. Don’t ever mud drywall yourself folks. Just, don’t.
So, renovations are afoot at The Fack Ranch. We’re adding a bedroom in the basement for the 2nd oldest kid as she will maybe be staying through university. The previous window was not large enough to allow egress in the case of a fire, so that meant cutting a bigger hole in the foundation to allow for a bigger window.
I found a contractor who had done many of these, he would excavate, cut the hole and install the window well/drain – he just didn’t do the window, so after waffling on it a bit, I decided to do it myself. My biggest concern, being the first window I’ve installed, was that I’d get the measurements wrong and have the contractor cut the hole the wrong size. I was a bit paranoid. But drew it all out (the photo here actually has the wrong dimensions) and did the math many times. I figured I had it.
It was a fascinating process watching him cut the concrete and then even more amazing to watch his dexterity with the mini-excavator. I wish I’d gotten video, but I only got stills when he used the bucket on the thing as a pick to gradually move and pivot the huge slab out of the window opening. I have a whole new appreciation for these heavy-equipment operators.
Overall the install went really well, I’m really happy with how it turned out. I’ll be trimming up the outside to hide the waterproofing membrane and working on raking out the yard and throwing down some grass seed.
Still to come, a new electrical panel, then finish framing, drywall, paint, drop-ceiling and floor installations.
Adding a room in the basement for Emma – everyone will finally have their own room when it’s done! Started roughing in walls. Still a lot to do. We will need a new electrical panel installed – we’ve needed it for a long time, but it will be in this room, so want to get it done before sealing the walls up. Also need to cut a hole in the foundation for new, larger window to allow for egress as well as let some more natural light in. One step at a time.
When I put in the trellis’ for my raspberries and blackberries it occurred to me that it might be cool to have some post cap lights on the top. I wasn’t sure how bright they’d be – just thought it might be interesting in the yard at night. One possible other thing would be that if bright enough, they might discourage critters at night. I ordered some up and installed them yesterday. Easy, affordable and efficient. The photos in the dark were challenging and don’t really do them justice, but you get the idea. I think they might not also have been fully charged. Might try and get a better ‘lighted’ photo later.
Work completed on a trellis for a row of blackberries to go in next to raspberries at The Ranch.
When we bought our house over 10 years ago, I didn’t notice it right away. In the backyard, just a few steps outside the door was a clump of 3 tree trunks and in the space in the middle was stashed a shovel. It seemed odd, like the previous owner may have forgotten it there, but it’s use (I think) eventually became clear. The previous owner was had a dog too and I think he used it for yard cleanup.
Since then, I’ve used it for the same, but also as a general purpose shovel. The shovel has been stuck in that space, in between the trees, outside and exposed to the elements, 365 days a year, for over 10 years. It’s been frozen in by snow and rained on, and yet the other day it occurred to me just how solid it was. In rough shape, for sure, but the handle still felt sure your hand and amazingly the shovel head was still firmly attached – not the slightest wobble or sign of loosening. This was where I got all retrogrouchy and said, “they just don’t make things like they used to.”
There’s no distinguishing marks on the shovel, so I have no idea of it’s origin. I don’t know what kind of wood the handle is (bombproof – apparently) and the head has no tell tale markings other that a ‘HEAT-TREATED STEEL’ stamp. The tool weirdo in me would like to know who made it and where it came from.
A few months back, I refurbished a few old axes I had. The handles were drying out and the heads were rusted and dull. I did the best I could to clean them up and put a decent edge on them with what I had, basically a file, sandpaper and steel wool. I decided to give this shovel a go.
I started by washing the whole thing and scrubbing with a brush to remove the surface dirt. There was still a lot of stuff hardened on. I worked first on the shovel head removing what rust I could with steel wool and sand paper. Then I hit the handle with several sandings, going with a finer grit each time. The handle was very dry and cracked, and starting to split in some spots. I opted to not try any sort of ‘filling’ of the cracks and just leave them be. I thought the sanding dust would fill them some and then get sealed in a bit during the last step when I hit the wood with linseed oil. I finished the whole process by coating the head and the handle with a few coats of linseed oil, sanding the handle lightly between coats.
What I was consistently amazed by was the method that the head was attached to the handle. It appears to be some sort of pass-through metal rod that was then welded on both sides – it hasn’t budged or loosened a bit over the years – amazing when you think the wood has probably expanded and contracted with the elements over time. I’ve seen ‘modern day’ shovels with screws and bolts and other attachment methods that have all come loose in short order. I actually have another shovel I bought with a fiberglass handle that the head is coming loose on.
Overall, I’m really happy with how it turned out. I have a bunch of other wood-handled garden tools I plan to refurbish one at a time. When you sand the handles and clean them up, then add the linseed oil, they really feel great in the hand.
I like the notion that by treating these tools as what they are – a valuable and helpful object to have around – and taking care of them accordingly, not only am I ensuring they’re safe and ready to perform for years to come, but I’m also combating the sort of ‘disposable’ mindset that I find is prevalent these days – one that even I had fallen victim to. Particularly with things like garden tools, I’d started to think of them as ‘one-offs’ – items to be bought and used until broken and discarded – and more often than not it seems they only last a season or two, I think in part due to cost-cutting assembly methods and materials. I like the idea that I’m going to have these things around awhile to develop character. Is it possible to have an emotional attachment to a shovel?
