FINALLY - Bathroom Tile

There was a wee little accident a few weeks ago. (NOT WEE, something much more horrid!) And - the bathroom carpet was rolled up on the spot and taken outside IMMEDIATELY. No further elaboration needed, other than this happened, of course, while David was out of town. The carpet was actually a remnant we put down in 2005 - hoping to get a couple years out of it. Basically - we were tired of making decisions, out of moolah to invest in the house, and TIRED of house construction. So - we lucked out - the carpet lasted six years! Here are David & Ingrid hammering down the durock - the base for new TILE! yea! Today David got started mixing mortor. ONLY an engineer would use a scale and a measuring cup for this task. I have it recorded digitally now! OK - I'm a geek too. And here we go. After much debate - we finally came up with a scheme for the listello that wasn't going to make the tile job IMPOSSIBLE with tons of cuts, and looks nice with the fixtures and layout of the room. This is travertene tile we got for $4/square foot (cheap) and the listello was full price, but we only needed six square feet of it - so the job was very reasonable... Unfortunately as most jobs go - out come MORE AND MORE tools. This job is no different. David thought the molding was high enough for tiles go to under - but NOT QUITE. SO - out came the trim saw, and a piece of boxboard to approximate the mortar depth. AND - Gretchen got to work down on the floor to so David could keep laying tile. Then I cleaned the mortar out of my nice shoes and put on old sneakers. OK - we're rock and rolling now! And - here is the finished look, no grout yet. David leaves for Ohio tomorrow (not returning until late Saturday - natch) - so the girls and I'll have to live with this for a week. He isn't doing under the fixtures, nor in the closet today. It'll be a two short half day jobs to finish when he gets back. In the meantime, I'll seal the set tile so that the grout doesn't stick to it as bad - and the cleanup easier... Then - MERRY CHRISTMAS to us - the bathroom will have tile! Whoo-Hoo..... Doesn't Gretchen look totally cool with ear protection on? Here is a cut listello.... While David tries to work fast and stay put - Gretchen runs the wet saw on the porch. It's loud and leaks a tad - so it's a mess. This is not somethign to do inside THANKS SCOTT - it's working GREAT!

New Yorkers FINALLY head to NYC

After several years of thinking about it - I finally remembered to BUY TICKETS in September to go down to NYC for the day and see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Show. This has been running since 1933 in Radio City Music Hall. We left Albany at 7:30am via the MEGA-Bus. This is a double decker express to NYC. Just 2-1/2 hours and VOILA - you're there. The girls got to sit in the very front row on the 2nd deck. It's like being in the drivers seat with no stearing wheel. WHATTA RIDE!
Ingrid's bird's eye view of the Lincoln Tunnel.

Grace likes to STAND on the subway - - - - we'll, in the morning anyway!Grace got her wish - to see the Statue of Liberty. Altho from afar - it was a beautiful day down in Battery Park.

There is even a building in NYC called the "GRACE BUILDING". It is adjacent to Bryant Park.

Here is the patron filled lobby of the Radio City Music Hall. I can't believe we finally did this trip. Everyone is very excited!

Even if we did have to go up to the 3rd Mezzanine. The show was great. David got lucky too because even tho still jet-lagged from just returning from Europe - all those Rockette leggs - 80+ of them, DID INDEED keep him awake thru the whole show. There were even two movie clips for which we had to use 3D glasses. Quite a place.

After the show, Grace finally started to understand why they call this "the city that never sleeps". We had dinner at 9:30! Mostly because we had walked ourselves stupid before the show and never sat down for a whole meal. For Ingrid that meant "CHEESECAKE"! Also, because we were tired and the train to Albany didn't leave until 11:50. It was a long day, but we're so glad we made the trip.

A view of Times Square (I think) - from 50th and 6th Avenue. It's Saturday night in NYC!

HAVE a HAPPY THANKSGIVING Everyone - - - - - -

Lunch Options In Leipzig Plant

OK - this is different. These are words directly from David's e-mail describing a UNIQUE cafeteria where he is in Germany! "They have a tiny little cafeteria, it seats 24 people total. We were asked to pick out what we wanted an hour or two before lunch, there were pictures and each had a stack of cards with it. You take a card from the one you want and write your name on it. When we went in for lunch, they were ready. Exactly like an old fashioned TV dinner, in the foil tray. It is what everyone ate." I know it's blurry - but here is a close up of one of the 'selections'. Today he asked what was special about the ones that this audit team was given to choose from. He was told that they were the more expensive options. They said "GUEST" at the top. He has no idea what the price actually is, but did say they aren't "bad".....

Davids Last Three Weeks

David started off his travels on November 2nd with a 3-day trip BACK to Ohio. Not to Columbus for 6-sigma training this time- but to Newark for an Energy Audit. He's on a team of 12 that is auditing all 15 plants around the world on a crazy 3-week schedule to look for 5% energy savings NEXT year. So - Newark Ohio was his destination. Not too exciting. An hour out of Columbus, and a population of 45,000. Headquarters for several large businesses - including the Momentive plant.....
and this lovely structure -- the Longeberger Basket Company Headquartrs. HOW OHIO!!! OMG. It's a BUILDING!

Well - he got home late Friday night (11/4) and was then off Monday (11/7) afternoon to Europe. This first stop - The Netherlands. A much classier destination I assure you. His first stop - Rotterdam for another plant Energy Audit. This is a picture of a bridge they call THE SWAN over a river in Rotterdam - it's just beautiful.

When the audit was done, he spent the weekend in Amsterdam. Here is a picture of one of her canals. Imagine skating on these. They are all over. He got to spend a day seeing the sights and enjoying some local cuisine.

Sunday - November 12th - found David jetting off to Leipzig, Germany. This city was once behind the iron curtain. Having been bombed heavily during WWII, when the curtain opened in the early 90's this city was devistated, having not been kept up during the Soviet occupation. David said that the Germans taxed their citizens an extra 2% to revive these classic old cities - and it has seen quite a revival. It has a population of 500,000 and is looking quite nice these days. David hasn't gotten to sight see much as he is at the plant by 7 - and the sun doesn't come up until 8 - and works until after dark. He did get this picture of the OUDE KIRK. It was constructed in 1303 - and he did get inside, but no pictures were allowed. Not sure if it is THE ONE, but this was Bach's city. He was once cantor at one of her churches. Imagine!

That is the only picture he's sent from Germany. The other he sent is this: the streets in the old part of Amsterdam.... quaint..... He returns Wednesday evening. We're all ready. Just ONE MORE trip that we know of this year- the 1st weekof December - back to the lovely state of Ohio - his 7th trip there this year.

Chicken Excitement

David left for the Netherlands yesterday.... It was not an easy parting as he just got home from Ohio midnight Friday and we had a crazy weekend. He'll be gone for 2 weeks in Europe, then home for 2 and back to Ohio for a two-weekend zinger the first week of December. (translation - the bastards are making him fly out Sunday to start meeting Monday am - and a mandatory session the following Saturday - THUS - two freakin' weekends are trashed for the family)

The night before he left we caught all the pullets (this years chicks for you non-chicken folks) and trimmed their wings. We've had lots of issues lately with a few of them flying over the fence & nets and getting out. Problem was - one of our pretty little silver spangled hamburgs was already OUT - and this little teenager decided not to come home for the night. A real renegade - rogue of sorts this bird is.... Double thie issue: the girls named these two really pretty white egg layers after themselves - so losing one would be very very sad indeed.....

Well, yesterday morning before David left, she was back. But we knew better than to try and catch her. This pair is VERY small and VERY fast. The only alternative to try and keep her from flying out was for me to tackle this by myself with the girls after dark once everyone gets settled into the coop. So - last night - we did! It was quite a crazy 10 mintues with just us girls here. Here is the story and pictures to prove our antics!!!
We went out at 5:15 (nice and early with daylight savings just past). Grace held the flashlight - Ingrid wielded the scissors, and me the damn bird. Her frantic wing flapping got me in the face while I was getting her off the perch. This breed is VERY FEISTY.

We got her all done (wing clipped, leg band ID bracelet on - orange) and then one of the kids saw a gray freakin' band on her other leg. We did the wrong damn bird. I thought I had looked so closely at this pair that I could easily tell them apart by the coloring and condition of the tail feathers. GUESS NOT. So........ Ingrid took OFF the new orange band, and we started over. I got the 2nd bird from the nest box. The first had been tail towards me on the perch - she was a LOT easier to catch... anyway, I got her and she's fine.

We repeated the whole process in the garage where there is plenty of light. And so, now its REALLY done. The original hamburg still has a gray leg band, and two trimmed wings. The other has an orange band and ONE trimmed wing. I love this picture. I'm wearing work gloves - holding the bird steady and pulling her wing out. THen there are the little pink-painted fingers with the scissors - wearing a Carhart!! What a great combo!

BOO!

Cross an 11-yr old with a 13-yr old, and THIS is the result.

One Harry Potter character - a seeker - complete with snitch, wand, robes and MORE.
And one GOTH wannabee!

We had a fun night - I hope you did too.....

David on The Danube

After work Wednesday the group had a 90 minute walking tour of the city in small groups. Then they had dinner on a moored boat (like the one down at the Corning Preserve - but this was MUCH nicer - BUT GASP - on the Danube!). Then they all walked back to the hotel - another 30 minute walk. (edit - if only we all had this ethic of WALKING - here it would have been a BUS tour of the city - and cabs home) This picture is the view out the window of the boat from David's seat during dinner. It is looking accross the river towards the castle that the castle district is named after. It now contains several museums.

A-hem - the REAL picture

See following (actually previous) post for the FUNNY HAHA. This is where David & Co. had an impromptu lunch at an outdoor cafe. This is looking over toward Budapest. The large building just past the beautiful bridge is St. Peters Basiclica. Just gorgeous!

David in BUDAPEST

David went to Hungary Sunday for Momentive's Annual Productivy Summit. Here are some random shots he took on NO sleep for 33 hours - Monday afternoon in and around Budapest.
This is SUPPOSED to be a shot of the river. I think NOT - let's call it FATIGUE still!
St. Stephen's Basicilica -

The OCTAGON - an area near his hotel.

The courtyard inside his hotel. He's on the 4th floor - and it's magnificent inside and out.

A Co-workier outside the Museum of Natural HIstory. NATCH - it was closed on Monday when they had time to cruise around. He's stayign thru the weekend so will have 2-3 days to sight see at the end of the week after the WORK is done. Um - have heard a lot about food and wine - so not sure what the true agenda is here!!!

and, sadly, Irene visits New York

Well - by Saturday we knew that "Irene" was heading our way. A few precautions paid off. The wind forcast of 40-70 mph didn't pan out - and that was FINE, but we did get at least 6" of rain in less than 12 hours. This was devistating to our region. Thankfully - we're on really high ground. We suffered NO water in in appropriate places, no power loss (not sure how we lucked out there - we usually loose it for awhile), and no downed trees. Really LUCKY. Here are two of Davids Water DIVERSION PIPES - on all the downspouts. The basement stayed DRY!
The back yard did not. Here is a huge puddle forming over the septic area. It is all dry today. We had a beautiful dry 65F day - and are forecast for more of the same all week.

We even brought our little Silver Spangled Hamburgs into the garage for Sunday. We never opend the coop - and these little beauties tend to be at the bottom of the pecking order. So - we saved them the abuse by "crating" them for the day. We also brought the canoes into the garage, lots of potted plants, and patio furniture from the decks.

Now the aftermath. This is Route 2 just East of Brunswick. This is a mile from the girls school. This section is a total wash out. Friends live along this creek and have businesses here. We're not in touch with them (loss of their power) and don't know how they are faring.

The girls and I went up to the Schaghticoke Fair grounds to make their 4H Fair entries today. See www.tandskill.blogspot.com for all that "news". On the way home I stopped to take a few pictures of the Hoosic River. THis is usually a "small" tributary to the Hudson. OMG - it was just devistating to see. Made my stomach turn over.

Another shot of the Hoosic River.

Then we headed to Lansingburg - along the Hudson. The river, at 4pm, was starting to crest. Realize - this is 24 hours after Irene had departed this region. Just a mess. David's plant is just a few miles up-river from here. They have been shutdown since Saturday - no flooding - the river crested just short of really making a mess of this facility. Local towns, Waterford, Troy, Lansingburg -not so lucky. Lots of homes underwater, lots of roads washed out, lots of homes GONE - even an historic covered bridge in Vermont which took a huge hit from this storm.

New York State Fair

Ingrid and Grace start the long trek from the parking lot, over I-690 and other roads, to the NYS Fairgrounds in Syracuse. A LONG walk.
Grace needs a bit of a break after the walk was done. HEre she is with her poster and frame pack - all set for her demonstration - one at 10:30 and another at 2:30.

Really - it wasn't child abuse - she INSISTED to carry this 32 Pound pack from the FAR ORANGE LOT to the 4H building. We need to talk to our COUNTY EDUCATOR about the parking arrangements! She carried it all the way back at the end of the day too. We were tired - and actually, left a bit earlier than planned due to IRENE - we wanted to be sure to get home ahead of the rain and help David put some of the heavier stuff away. Canoes- grills - What would a fair be without suckling piglets! 12 on 1! WOWIE! It was cute - they wagged their little stumpie tails.

Fun Fun Fun Sugar - looking for Donna (her pet duck from, well - 50 years ago!). Sugar LOVES ducks!

Grace on the stage during her 1st presentation on the main stage.

Jack's quest was complete - he found the Gianelli stand - sausage and peppers. We parted from them around 2pm - I wonder if he had a SECOND HELPING before hitting the road! Sugar and the girls - walking about! While Jack was "feasting"!

Grace - checking the time to see if it's time to start her 2nd presentation!

Grace -doing her 2nd presentation!

OMG - Grace petting Wick - amazing - and a BEAUTIFUL horse.

Many thanks to Jack & Sugar for sharing Grace's presentations with us and this fun day at the New York State Fair!