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Praetorium Honoris

Monday, October 9, 2023

I'm back...My Back!

 Well....It's good to be home. It was a LONG, HARD week, but we got a lot accomplished.  Most importantly, we got to spend time with MBD, The Rev, and MG.  All in all, a success.

So, what prompted this trip, juvat?

Well, Beans, since you asked.  Seems there was a football game this past weekend. The Aggies played some inconsequential team from the Southeastern part of the country.  Ala-something, I think.

MBD and The Rev's new home is two blocks from Kyle Field.  Part of their plan to pay for it is to STR (Short Term Rental) it for home football games.  (The Rev's parents live a couple of blocks away and have spare bedrooms for them to stay in.)

Given that this game was not only sold out like virtually all Aggie Home Games, but they were also selling standing only tickets to it.  Capacity is 102,733 so chances of renting their house out are pretty good.  As is the $1k/night rate.  

But, due to a lot of reasons, pregnancy and a job being a couple of them, the refurbishing of the house was almost, but not quite, ready for paying guests.

Hence, the cavalry was called and Mrs. J and I rode to the rescue.

Besides, we got to play with our Grand Daughter.

Yes, Beans, that is the completed Pixlar climbing ladder I'd been working on.  She loves it!

 MBD had a fairly detailed checklist of things to be done and who was to do them .  It was also quite visible and handy to refer to.


My responsibilities are in the lower left.  I thought I was getting off easy with only two tasks.

Silly me!

Just like military job descriptions end, "Other duties as assigned" should have been expected.

As to the first task, Fix Fence.  I had done that a couple of weeks ago.  I'd replaced about 10 cedar staves that had rotted.  Easy peasy.  So I asked the Slave Driver MBD, what needed to be fixed on the fence. She took me outside and showed me where a couple of original staves had come loose.

Now I was pretty sure that I'd checked that area of the fence in my prior visit and all was well, but...Clearly that was no longer the case.  So,  off to Lowes, picked up about 15 staves (there were other places that needed preventative fixing, but I'd run out of time previously) and got to work.  Replaced all the staves that even remotely looked like they needed replacing.

Voila'. Problem Solved!

Not so fast, juvat!  That afternoon, I was notified that T-Dog, (callsign for the Golden Doodle, P-Dog being their other dog) had gotten out through a hole that I had overlooked.  Well, I knew I hadn't overlooked a hole.  But, to preserve peace and harmony with my very pregnant daughter, I went to take a look.

Yes, there was a hole.  There were also a couple of broken parts to the stave on the ground.  I put on my Sherlock Holmes hat and identified the culprit. There were teeth marks in the wood. T-Dog had chewed a hole in the fence.

So, went back to Lowes, picked up more staves and replaced all staves that remotely looked...Tasty.

Yes, Beans, T-Dog growled at me for the next couple of days, but she remained in the back yard.

The next project, Varnish and stain  (I know, should have been Stain and Varnish) the mantle.  Piece of cake,  longest part was waiting for the prior coat to dry.  

So...I'm done with my assigned projects.  Right?

Not so fast, juvat!

Would you add towel racks, robe hooks and hand towel rings to the guest bathroom?

Your wish is my command, my Dear.


It's a panorama shot. No, the towel bar on the left isn't bent.

Focus on the towel ring on the right. Notice there's a hand towel on it.  Well, that is the new ring, the old ring was removed as it wasn't the same style as the new stuff.  And...as is well known in the military, Feces occurs.


The previous mounting plate was bigger than the new one and it's holes were also bigger.  Unfortunately, we are running out of time to fix and repaint since we don't have matching paint. Camouflage netting was required for the short term.

Now, I'm sure that some of you are wondering about the STR issue and "stuff" in their home.  Well, their Master Bath has a very large "extra" closet in it.  So, they plan to load up the stuff they didn't want out in plain sight into this closet.  My job was to install a locking door to the entrance.

I think in prior posts on this house, I mentioned that very little of it was "Square".  This closet entrance was no exception, rather, more like an excellent example of that problem.


However, after 2 days of planing and sanding and carrying the door into the bath and hanging it, closing it to see if it fit, then carrying it back outside and...rinse/repeat more times than I could count (without taking off my shoes and socks, Beans) I was able to take this picture.  

This is my "happy" picture from this trip.

Meanwhile, Mrs J had volunteered for two projects, wallpapering MG's bedroom and constructing the dresser for Grandson #1's room.  Unfortunately, the wallpaper project was taking a bit longer than expected (but turned out looking great!).

Molding will be added between the wallpaper and the paint.

So she asked for some help.  I took over the dresser project.  Having no workbench to work on, this required a lot of bent over, hands and knees. peering into tight places with awkward body twists, positions.  You know, "Par for the course".

But, it turned out fine.

Finally. many of you readers will remember this project (AKA The Bookshelf).

 

 Again, nothing square, nothing attached safely, not pleasing to the eye.


Before
During

I had completed all the renovation works on the project on the last visit.  MBD went ahead and put the finishing touches on it with some spray on texture and paint.

After

I think it turned out well.

But, the trip involved a lot of work, a lot of ladder climbing, lifting and carrying, and other assorted muscle straining physical motions occurred. Hence, this post's title.

Spending time with the family and helping out was well worth it, I just wish I'd invested in Extra Strength Advil before we got there this week.  

I'd be rich.

31 comments:

  1. Bookcase looks muy bueno juvat. Bending and lifting, ah those back muscles.....the passage of time also........ :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nylon,
      Muchas Gracias.
      The passage of time ...When the mind says "yes you can" and the body says "No, you can't!" (to paraphrase a Jimmy Buffet song). I'm starting to disbelieve the mind's position more and more.
      juvat

      Delete
  2. Love the bookcase, your back (and various and sundry other muscles) was sacrificed in a worthy cause!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Sarge.
      The good news is I managed to make it back out into my workshop yesterday to work on the next project on my ever expanding "To Do" list. Fortunately, it's quite a bit smaller and less heavy, so I've got that going for me. It's a gift so no hints/progress photos til it's done.
      juvat

      Delete
  3. The little details are the most difficult to resolve yet are the difference between good and great. It shows you do a great job of taking care of the details.
    Looking at the photos reminds me I need to refinish my front door before cold weather arrives. 23 years of weathering have taken their toll. My biggest apprehension is I'll somehow screw it up... maybe time to hit YouTube.
    -Barry

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Barry,
      Hopefully the door is fairly minimally designed. Otherwise, sanding all those details...well...it takes a while. Worth it in the end, but the journey is long.
      Good Luck!
      juvat

      Delete
  4. That new bookcase looks great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rob,
      Thanks, yeah, before the texturing and painting, I looked at it and could see all the little imperfections. I'd then start to figure out how to "correct" them. MBD finally put her foot down and said "Enough". With the finish on it, all those little things are nigh on to invisible. Good enough for her is good enough for me.
      juvat

      Delete
  5. Sounds like a very productive week Juvat (and great results).

    I will be interested to hear the feedback on renting out their home if they have any. $1,000 a pop for 10-12 weeks is a great additional income; I am not sure how much I would enjoy moving in and out on a weekly basis.

    The biggest lesson I am having to learn is pre-medicate. It goes better.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THBB,
      Thanks, it was.
      Well, round 1 was a great success. The family went back home yesterday and everything was in perfect order and the beds had been stripped. Doesn't get much better than that. However, having been in the STR business for quite a while, not all guests are that thoughtful. Two clarifications though, they're only going to do it for home games so more like 5 or 6 weekends and it a grand a night (which we did a little research when figuring out pricing. 1K per night is on the lower end of the rentals in that close vicinity to the stadium). Still, a helpful addition to the family budget.
      Pre-medicate is good advice. I wish/hope I can remember that. Tattoo on the forehead perhaps?
      juvat

      Delete
    2. Juvat, this clearly demonstrates that I have precisely zero sports knowledge as clearly the entire season is not played at home...

      Delete
    3. THBB,
      No worries. Not real interested in sports myself. But being the "Father..." of 4 graduates, one attempts to be knowledgeable enough to carry on conversations. Better start practicing if you're getting a couple of Ag's in the near future.
      Just sayin'
      juvat

      Delete
  6. Juvat, your carpentry skills are something you and the BD can be proud of. Plus the contribution to the STR will help out, especially with another Grandchild on the way. Well done.
    My eldest Grandson is in freshman year at Aggieland, and the #2 Grandson (and brother to #1) will be en-route in another 1 1/2 years after HS graduation. So forward thinking daughter and son-in-law bought a 4 br, 3 bath condo for housing the boys and renting out the other 2 rooms, till their 2 younger brothers make to college age. The condo is relatively close to Kyle Field so may suggest they follow the lead of your BD and SIL. They'd have a few details to work out but I'm sure it could happen.
    Enjoy the cooler temperatures and potential for more rainfall.
    Cletus

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Cletus,
      The cooler temps and the rain have been wonderful, haven't they? I actually have a green field again.
      As to the STR, the only thing to be solved would be where the kids stay when rooms are rented out. They could go home for the weekend, but my understanding of Aggies is Home Game is "Where were you sitting?" I'm almost certain that both my offspring and their spouses (All Aggies) didn't miss a single home game in their time there.
      As you said, doable, but needs some forethought.
      Re: Carpentry skills. My table saw is an excellent teacher. ;-)
      juvat

      Delete
  7. Everything looks great and both did a very good job. Don't buy out Advil just yet but try Lidocaine patches or cream. I like the patches better. On backs they work great.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anon,
      I tried the lidocain creme in lieu of Ben Gay, it didn't seem to work as well. If HEB has the patches (I'll check) I'll give them a try.
      Thanks
      juvat

      Delete
  8. Here in Gainesville, home of the swamp lizards who aren't even in the top 25 (but FSU is, suck it!,) people make serious bank renting out parking space, for up to $200 a spot per game. If the house rental doesn't work out, you might have your kid and kid-in-law check out the parking situation.

    Other than that, sounds like you had a very busy weekend.

    As to the fence, some ckicken wire or hardware cloth on the bottom of the fence to stop said aggressive chewer from chewing might be in order.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beans,
      Thanks for the chicken wire suggestion. That might just be the ticket.
      It was a VERY busy week. Been back two night now, Hardest I've slept in a long time.
      I' m not sure what the parking situation is, but given that Kyle Field is one of the 10 largest capacity stadiums in the world, I'd bet it is a problem. I'll bring it up.
      juvat

      Delete
  9. Task growth. Yep! And I'm working on knowing when good enough has been achieved.

    The arched tops on the bookcase are a great look and a big improvement.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JiP,
      Thanks, and I agree.

      To both.
      juvat

      Delete
  10. As someone who has maintained a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with his back, I can totally relate. Just reading the story, my back went into violent spasms out of solidarity with yours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill,
      Very sorry to have caused you some pain.
      Hope you feel better soon.
      juvat

      Delete
  11. You get to 'enjoy' a job well done! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Old NFO,
      Nah, I get to enjoy the look of gratitude on my daughter's face. Reward enough.
      juvat

      Delete
  12. I was beginning to think you still had shiny brown boots in the closet somewhere with all that SEC style trash talk. Well, there’s always (for now) my Niners.
    Will there be books or a combo of books and stuff? Enquiring minds need to know. Beautiful BTW.
    Enjoy the chores (seriously!). Later you’ll yearn to screw something up with a power tool, or perhaps lift more than 30 pounds!
    I got up off of the floor today all by myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. D4,
      We had a video chat with MBD this morning. She was sitting in front of it. The Rev has started moving his books into it, I think it will be a combo, but he does have a fairly large library. I consider myself an avid reader. I'm a piker compared to him.
      That getting up off the floor IS getting harder every day isn't it? I think it's an increase in the gravitational force of the Earth.
      Yeah...That's the ticket!
      juvat

      Delete
  13. You could probably pay for the renovations on their place and yours if you made and sold a few more of those climbing ladders- quality stuff there and parents would pay a pretty penny.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tuna,
      My throughput on that project was fairly slow. I’d starve.

      But…It was a fun project.
      juvat

      Delete
    2. You'd starve! Hilarious. I admire all your woodwork and construction handyman skills nevertheless. I'd hire you no matter the speed.

      Delete
    3. Thanks, Tuna,
      OK starving might not actually be the outcome. Weight loss however....Hmmm...That might be a good thing!
      juvat

      Delete
  14. In my experience only women, fools and men caught like a rat in a trap ever wallpaper more than once. Just sayin

    ReplyDelete

Just be polite... that's all I ask. (For Buck)
Can't be nice, go somewhere else...

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