CATCH-UP

Wow--can it really be that long since I put something on this blog? I know the reason why. Carrie and I worked hard to keep the attic project moving in an effort to have it at least usable for our church's "Kids at the Point" camp in June. The two weeks before camp were especially intense, with a list of jobs we had to complete each day.

Our Pastor Chris was building a bunkhouse to house the boys who came to camp from a distance. I had promised to make the curtains for that, so I made red and white gingham curtains for 4 large windows and a panel for each of the 2 doors on each end of the bunkhouse. The doors were steel and I found magnetic curtain rods to stick on--the easiest curtain hanging I've ever done! Carrie and I made the curtain rods for the 4 windows out of large dowels, drilled holes in the end and screwed round wooden drawer pulls in the ends for finials. I made good use of the Dremel tool we had bought to cut off the Phillips end of the screw and grind it to a point so it could be screwed into the dowel.

Carrie and I also made 4 window boxes for the bunkhouse. Two were put on, we planted flowers in them and (since it rains about every other day), the flowers are doing great!

As of Tuesday of this week, the sheetrocking in the attic is completely done!!!!!
Hallelujah! So Wed. I did the mudding in the ends of the gables. Soon that will be finished and painting can commence and continue until completion. We actually are going to finish this project--something I wondered about for awhile.

One of the biggest accomplishments on the attic project was replacing the little windows with larger sliding windows. We had never done this kind of job before, where you have to create a larger rough opening and everything that goes with it. It took us two different days. We rented a Bil-Jax crane so Justin could go up in the bucket, where he basically worked for hours. We could hand tools through the opening to him once it had been cut out, and the work progressed from there. Needless to say, we learned a lot. Justin was sold on that rig and it sure was a safe way to work up so high. (I went up with him once and thought, "What am I doing up here even with the shingles?" But it seemed totally normal until I looked down.)

We haven't only done remodel work. We take time out to give piano lessons, make our trips to town to wash clothes, shop (seems like we hit Lowe's about every week), and do family times.

Carrie is in Redding, Ca., now attending a worship school. I know she's enjoying it because we don't hear from her every day. She'll be home by the second week of July.

Since Carrie was gone, we brought my Mom, Lillian, here for 10 days. She loved being in on our activities. She says it's much more interesting here than at home.
She even climbed the attic stairs and sat up there watching me work in the mornings.
(She loves the coziness of attics as much as I do.) Mom went home last Sunday, so we combined taking her to Fargo with a grilled steak meal at Lance, Gretchen, Tori & Logan's house. The kids always seem to be excited when Grandma and Grandpa come!

Carrie flew out of Omaha, so we had a trip there. Sometimes it seems like we are coming and going all the time.

Last Friday night and Saturday our pastors hosted a girls' overnighter at the new Bunkhouse on their property. The girls were so excited about being able to stay in this new bunkhouse! We did a tea party Saturday morning and Mom was the special guest. A great time was had by all!

Soon we'll celebrate the 4th.; then on the 5th. my brother Wendell & Judy and their son, Brian with his family, Susie & Melina, will be visiting overnight. This will be our first opportunity to host Brian's family in our home and we are excited about it! Brian is like our missionary in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Since Brian spent a summer with us, we kind of consider him another son.

The months roll by, but we choose to savor every bit of the beauty of summer. My flowers have been especially gorgeous this year, with all the rain. And we love the freedom of easy coming and going that the summer weather affords. Hope you are having a great summer too!