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.