Oh what a ...week or two!*

 Well, Campers, it's been a couple of weeks since I've updated you on my ongoing "retirement" projects.  So...Here goes.

Family Health and Safety 

Miss B and LJW had some good news on multiple fronts over the last few Doctor's Calls.  Weight is slowly going up.  The visit with the Surgeon was a good one.  Miss B is an excellent candidate for the G-Tube (the feeding tube inserted in her tummy rather than down her nose into it).  He also said that the probable cause for her throwing up and thereby not gaining weight was too much food going down for her to digest in one feeding.  Because there's no dial which determines how much to throw up, she wasn't getting enough calories, and because she's not getting enough calories, she wasn't gaining weight.  Less food in more meals with the G-tube should help solve that problem.  

On the breathing front (one of the even more important fronts), Miss B and LJW went to a different pulmonologist for a second opinion on how to get her to progress breathing on her own.  LJW had been slowly reducing the amount of supplemental oxygen she was receiving during the day.  While she did this, she was monitoring the O2 saturation percentage.  If it started going down, she pumped up the O2 supply for the rest of the day.  The first Doc wasn't happy with the process even though Miss B was down to 1/8 supplemental O2 for a few hours from 1/2 supplemental all 24.  Hence the second Doc. 

When LJW told the second Doc about what she was doing, she asked why she hadn't been doing that after the first month or two.  I'm not a Doctor, nor have I played one on TV, but that's been my question (kept in my head solely), for a while.  In any case, Miss B has a new Pulmonologist with the added benefit that she is quite a bit closer to us than the other.  Less time in the car commuting to appointments.

Win/Win.

In addition, not having to carry around O2, periods of no supplemental O2 opens up other life-enhancing opportunities. Like:

 

Taking the big stroller out for a walk with the two of them.  Much MO' bettah.  (Beans, it handles the gravel road better than the combo car seat/stroller they otherwise have.)

This progress is a big deal because in addition to the importance of the relationship between breathing and living, the primary holdup in reuniting LJW and Miss B with Little Juvat is the breathing issue.  So, lotta praying going on at Rancho Juvat.

College Station Doings

Over the past 14 days, I've been to College Station 3 times.  2 with Mrs. J.  Once flying solo.  (Yes, Beans, it's a wonder She approved it)

In ANY case...And as reported a few weeks ago, MBD and The Rev have purchased a house and are in the process of renovating it.  As I'm sure many of you know, being inveterate fixer upper show viewers, it's not what you see that's the problem, it's what's UNDER what you see that's going to be expensive.

That is becoming the case.  It's also apparent, based on several key indicators, that the house's previous role in life was as a rental to college students.  So, a lot of time discussing things with the contractors.  My role in this?

Not as much as I feared, thankfully.  MBD is pretty savvy and way tough.  I just tag along with my best "You better deal with her because you REALLY don't want to deal with me!" look.

Fortunately, no one's called my bluff.  

Oh yeah...I also am in charge of carrying things, painting things, visiting Lowes and picking up things we forgot.  I think that particular title is GoFer!  I've had lots of practice at that.  

As to Painting, when last we spoke, the kitchen looked like this.

The cutting in phase partially completed.

When I returned for the solo trip and walked in, the kitchen looked like this.

Report from the time of writing this is that the lowers are finished.  The doors have been removed and spraying the insides is in progress.  I've asked for a picture, but for some reason The Rev is somewhat busy on Sunday.

But, while he was doing that, MBD and I were adding a bit of interest to the boring walls in the master bedroom.

If you just imaging what that wall looked like with out the molding design on the wall...Mrs. J and I have been requested back sometime next week to begin work on this.

MBD doesn't like the molding around the sides and tops and wants an arch across each of the three columns.  As one might notice, the bookshelves are wider than tall, so some kind of a ellipsis will be needed to make it look right.  We're going to attach a bit wider molding on the two interior braces so it will match the outsides.  Still trying to figure out how to cut it smoothly.  A router probably, but how to control it is being researched.  Suggestions from our brilliant readers would be much appreciated.

Projects at Home

As to the project for my good friend's retirement, it's coming along quite nicely.  The writing implements are finished and in safe storage.

Pencil's on the left, pen on the right.

The latest lesson learned on turning, was that the finish also has thickness.  Both were turned all the way down to the bushings.  The pencil, which I did first, I applied 10 coats of CA glue as the finish.  You can see that the edge on the tip and the edge on the middle band are a bit further away from the metal than on the pen which only had 2 coats of CA glue applied.  The finish on both is about the same glossiness, so...Another important lesson learned.

Next part of the progress is to make the pen & pencil case for them.  Learning from the finish lesson, I decided I'd try turning some of that wood in a separate project. Earlier, I'd made a pen using Olivewood and made a fatal mistake doing that.  So, I'd given it to Mrs. J who likes it very much, but  there was no where to put it.  I've also never worked with Bloodwood before, so I wanted to see how it looked after being worked.  Win/Win,  I made Mrs. J a pen holder and used Bloodwood in it.

Thought it turned out pretty well.

While in College Station, the juvat family's "Birthday Week started.  1, 2 & 6 June are all Birthdays.  MBD & Little Juvat are the 1 &2.  Some Old Fart is the other.  However, this year had a little extra "Specialness" to it, as Little J is in Hong Kong.

 

We decided to celebrate by taking MBD and gang to a Tapas restaurant they'd always wanted to try.  As we were talking, I realized that Hong Kong is 13 hours ahead and that while it was the 1st here, it was the 2nd there.  Gave him a call and wished him a Happy Birthday.  Suffice it to say, it's a good thing long distance overseas cell phone rates are what they are (nothing) as it was a good time.

Oh, by the way, their wine selection was extraordinary.

Yes, they had a $400/oz cognac. No, Beans, I didn't try it. It was MBD's birthday and not mine.  Suffice it to say, my palate isn't refined enough for $800 Brandy.

Mrs. J and I RTB'd Saturday, got up and went to Church Sunday then to our usual Sunday Brunch place.  On exiting, we saw this car parked nearby.  I thought the sticker was hilarious.  YMMV

We're headed back to CStat sometime later in the week.  MBD's a hard taskmaster.  That having been said, I love her very much and am having a pretty good time.  But, Ben-Gay is still my friend.

Peace out, Y'all!

* In homage to Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons