Mother of all projects (2)

If your came here looking for my latest cycling post amusing goodness, you can find it here. Otherwise read on for update #2 on the Mother of all Projects!

If I ever needed an alternate career, home remodeling would not be it. I'm too much of a perfectionist and thusly, too slow. The drywall guy is done and I found myself adding additional drywall screws because I considered him to have been a wee bit skimpy with the fasteners. Just around the bottom close to the floor, but it still added some extra time to the project.

Over-all, he did a good job and completed my most loathed home renovation task at minimal cost.

He butted the drywall to the Hardibacker cement board I installed as tub walls and feathered the joint compound into the hardibacker. The idea is that after the Kerdi membrane and tile is installed, the difference in the planes of the 2 surfaces won't be noticeable. For those of you used to remodeling, you know that what you buy aint always what you get. A 2X4 is not 2X4. ½" drywall is ½" but ½" Hardibacker is .42". Now go figure.

The Hardibacker should be brought down to rest on the tub wall flange, not lapped over it. Then when the tile is installed make sure to spread the thinset down over the flange and bring the tile to the tub deck.

Next up: prime and paint the drywall.

Stay tuned for further updates....

Protest Ride!

Political gridlock has been a way of life in Washington for some time. We have come to expect total inaction, and our elected legislators certainly don't disappoint. Even the the self imposed sword of Damocles can't move the super committee's collective, do nothing asses off the seat of political stagnation. So how am I going to support the protesters on Wall Street?

Occupy the Bike!

What better way to show my solidarity with the occupy movement from little old Chestertown! I thought about camping out in the town square with a sign that says "Occupy Chestertown" or maybe "Rage against The Man". But then I remembered that I work for "The Man". So maybe that's not the best idea considering I have a mortgage, bills and lots of bike gear on my wish list.

But heading out for a good head clearing ride certainly made me feel better physically and emotionally.

Biking down a country road in the late day light and gazing across the farm fields helps me keep my perspective.

With twilight closing in, it's time to pump hard towards home.

After all, I have to catch a bus for Washington, DC in the morning.

I wasn't made to sit.....

....so I got up and took a walk. Outside, on a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, when I should have been answering emails and supervising staff. But I had been doing that since 8:00 AM after sitting on the bus for 75 minutes which came after sitting in my car for 30 minutes. This lifestyle is my own choice and that of many others. It seems that salary is directly proportional to the sedentary nature of the job. The more you move, the less you make. And our bodies were designed to move. Of course technology hasn't helped resolve this issue.

So I have to take the time to move, to get out. And even in the city, there are rewards waiting.

One day I will get paid to ride my bike and travel to the mountains. 

I won't get paid much, but that's fine with me.

Once around the block...

Ok, it was a big block. 20.1 miles to be exact.

The weather was a perfect 55°. In this kind of weather, it's hard to know how to dress. Standing in the driveway you feel warm, but start bombing down a hill at 30 mph and all of a sudden it's winter in Quebec.
I love to bike, any day, any weather. The only downside is it makes me think about how much money I need to spend on gear that I don't have. Fortunately Tyler has a bike computer to keep track of speed and mileage. Previously if I wanted to know how far I rode, I would either have to guess or drive the same route in my car, which is admittedly ridiculous.

Tyler with Crisanna Carrera, his Italian wheels. A bike he built himself with Campagnolo parts.
SuWEEET!

The Eastern Shore of Maryland is big and open. The big sky country of the east. And the roads are great for biking with wide shoulders.

Nothing compliments a picture like circle irrigation!

Greetings from the Eastern Shore of Maryland!

I had a destination.....

It was cool and sunny as I headed out the lane. I was dressed for a cool day wind chill, enough bike wear to stay warm but not so much as to appear dorky. 

I headed to Chestertown, happy to have a different destination for a change.

One of the reasons I don't head north towards town is this bridge, you have to walk your bike across instead of ride. Looking south, almost across.

From the bridge, you do get a good look at the river, with the old sailing ships, the one in the foreground is a reproduction of the Sultana, made in the old shipbuilding way. Not a bad view for every day.

So like I said, I had a destination, but sometimes you just have to follow where the bike and the mood takes you. I headed through town and right out the other side. Into farm country. The sun was glistening off the ripe soybean fields. Ready for harvest.

At last, I made it to Pomona. About 5 miles west of Chestertown. The sun was starting to drop and I decide I should turn around, especially since I hadn't reached my destination yet.

On the way back to town, this is looking east up the Chester river. In the distance that's the bridge I walked across. What a view! But on to my destination.

Made it at last. The ATM in town. I needed cash.

Sometimes getting there is all the fun!

What's your bike's name?

Mine is named "Roadie", but the more I blog read, the more I realize that Roadie is not very original. 

I had a text conversation with my son about it.

          Tyler:    I like how you named your bike "Roadie"

          Me:      Thanks

          Tyler:   Can you send my bike tools up with Mom? Crisanna is in dire need of an overhaul.

          Me:     Which one is Crisanna?

          Tyler:   Crisanna Carrera is her full name.

          Me:      I haven't been able to determine Roadie's gender yet.

          Tyler:   Would you want to ride a male?

          Me:     Well no, but would Mom want me to ride a female? It's a predicament.

          Tyler:   Would Mom really have to be jealous of a bicycle?

          Me:     Your arguments are compelling. Did you already go through this with Morgan?

          Tyler:   Well, to be fair, I knew Crisanna long before I met Morgan.

Return from Blogcation - 4 weeks in Pictures and Thoughts

Hey, I'm back from a 4 week Blogcation!

Feeling somewhat refreshed and slightly inspired. Especially excited about the cooler weather and all the fall goodness in the air. So I thought I'd post some random pictures and thoughts from the past 4 weeks to catch everyone up on various stuff that you may or may not find interesting.

I work in DC. The other Monday I felt the blahs creeping in so I went for a walk around the Capitol Building. It really is impressive. Wish I could say the same for how much our elected members are accomplishing.

I walk by this every day. At first they were tearing it down. When they got it down to just the concrete structure, they started building it back up, adding 3 additional floors to the top. One day I stopped and talked to a foreman. He said it was going to be law offices. They wanted a penthouse suite at the top so they could see all the DC landmarks. It also happens to be just a short 2 block walk from Capitol Hill.

Just noticing stuff, you draw your own conclusions.

Regarding the Mother of all Projects - the shower fixtures are roughed in. The drywall guy is here.
Irma is HAPPY!

The other day there were wild turkeys in our backyard. Wanted to get a better picture but I knew they would scatter as soon as I stepped outside. Hey you turkeys...eat as many crickets as you want! You're welcome anytime! Can't see this living in the city.

General Patton has a cone. He's such a good sport!

If you want to really experience fall....take a bike ride. If you want to really experience the world around you...take a bike ride.

I find that dark sunglasses are a slight improvement to the Coleman Cooler helmet look.
Or am I just happier that I'm harder to recognize?

This is a black grave yard. There are many of them on the Eastern Shore. Either slaves or poor share croppers couldn't afford a burial plot at a cemetery, so they made their own. Often right along rural roads.

I have known this was there ever since we moved here. It was always overgrown. I rode by on my bike and noticed that someone had cleaned it up that day. I'm not sure if the good Samaritan was actually related or just providing some long deserved respect.