Another Project......

Jim and I often seem to utilize the "while we're at it" clause of home remodeling.  So rather than finishing the stairs and stairway, we (Jim) tore out the front closet while we were at it.   Instead of having an entryway the size of a typical public bathroom stall (and that's not the handicapped accessible stall) we now have a semi-generous sized entryway.  The extra 28" really made a difference - I don't think we'll feel like we have to move through the entryway single file anymore.  So we're off to Lowe's for another load of supplies - while we're at it, I'm sure we'll find more things we need.  It's supposed to rain all weekend again so it seems to be a good time to finish the stairway and entry.



Entry - before




Entry - during






 And all the while we're pounding around on our house our baby goslings are growing......................




Sometimes there are as many as 3 or 4 families (would that be gaggles or are the 4 families together one big gaggle?) at the pond across the street or in the pasture next door.  Some of the families are pretty big and then there are some pairs walking around goslingless - do they have goose daycare? 

Stairs in Progress

     This seems to be the longest and most tedious project yet.  When we moved in the stair heights ranged from 6 1/2" to 8 3/4" tall.  We also had a really funky diagonal landing - if you weren't on the right foot coming down the stairs you missed the step on the landing (at least it happened to me).  Maybe the previous owners always started on their right foot and never had a problem with the weird step...............whatever, now it's fixed and I don't have to remember "right foot first"!  We didn't like the original newel post so Jim started building, and building, and building.....and the newel post grew, and grew, and well, you know.  So here are the pictures of stairway mid-project.

The next exciting news is that Bella killed her first mouse this week.  The cat played with the dead mouse for a while and then Bren played with it.

Bella on her 2nd favorite perch - the tractor

Bella on her favorite perch

Kind of on the same note  (animals and their prey)............  I watched a crane catch a fish in the pond, throw it up on the grass, watch is flop around a little, and then eat it.  It was cooler than it sounds.

The other "project" that's been keeping us busy is filling up the front porch.  We may have enough seating now.  Between Craig's list, Cracker Barrel, mom and El bringing a rocker we had left behind, and a cute little shop in Cottleville, we've filled up the porch.  (I also painted the front door)  By the way, if you want to chck out earlier pictures of the stairs and the porch check out the post on Apr 9th.

So.................. everyone should come on down and hang out on our porch for a while. See ya soon. 

Gather up the animals 2 by 2!

     Today I heard that someone posted a "pre-owned" ark on Craig's list, gently used - only 40 days and 40 nights.  A few days ago the weatherman said that we had gotten 18 inches of rain so far in April.  Everybody says that this is a crazy spring.  On Good Friday night we sat in our basement waching the storm on TV.  There were 2 storms in the area and the one with a confirmed tornado was traveling right our way.  There was damage in New Melle, then a spotted funnel cloud in Lake St Louis, then a touchdown in Dardenne Prairie (about 2 miles from our house).  This storm was traveling down Hwy N right for us.  After we heard that Dardenne Prairie was hit it seemed to get really calm outside and very bright - the sky was almost yellow.  The next thing they were saying on TV was that the storm had gone by St Charles, but the other storm was tearing through Maryland Heights and the airport.  The news has been showing the damage to the American Airlines terminal at the airport, but the damage around the airport is unbelievable.  On Monday morning when Jim and I were headed to the airport we saw the path of destruction - whole neighborhoods with the roofs gone and blue tarps instead.  There was a cement block warehouse up on a hill with big holes in the walls, the blocks from the walls in a pile of rubble down the hill and the inventory still on the shelves inside.  Crazy is an understatement.   Now we're ready for a couple of clear days before the next week of rain in the forecast.  Meanwhile, we actually have geese swimming in the "puddle" in our backyard and rivers running through it.

But our neighbors are getting it worse - one of their pastures floods completely.

And still, life goes on.....................

Brennan's Room



Before



     I finally had a chance to hang Bren's curtains and pictures and pick up the toys long enough to get a couple of pics.  This room was the worst of the bedrooms - it had permanently attached wallpaper.  While we were stripping the wallpaper, we also stripped the paper off the drywall.  The chair rail was put up after the wallpaper, so we had to take that down to get the wallpaper off.  The walls were really torn up and after about 7 skim coats of drywall compound it was only a little better - so we put up the molding on the bottom of the wall as camouflage.  Jim's sister, Linda, picked the color - I love it. 




 

Another week, another medical emergency

  3 weeks ago the ambulance was called for Jim's mom.  She had a mild heart attack and spent about 3 days in the hospital.  The doctors did the test where they put dye in her heart and put the camera thing in her vein (artery?) in her leg and up to her heart (that's the technical description).  Thank God, the doctors didn't find any damage.
     Last week was the infamous "Lego incident".  Bren's siblings will never let him forget that one. 
    Tonight I ended up rushing the dog, Maggie, to the animal hospital because she was listless and vomiting.....after an examination, xrays, and $150.25 she was diagnosed with "gas".  It was much to do about nothing - but we're thankful it really was nothing.   Now Maggie's on a diet of rice and boiled turkey for a week - and I get to cook for the dog too.
     "They" say these things go in threes - hopefully "They" are right.

Another Brennanism......................
     Last weekend we were in Omaha.  Aunt Sandy asked Brennan if he had missed her, he said, "no".  Uncle Craig asked Bren if he missed had him, he said, "nah".  Cousin Shawn asked Brennan if he had missed him, he said, "nope".  A little while later Bren asked Sandy for a drink, she handed him a cup of water and while he was drinking it he poured the whole cupfull down the front of his shirt.  Brennan looked at Sandy and said, "I missed you that time!"  

Wildlife

  There are a pair of mallards that live across the street at the neighbor's pond - for now.  This morning they came right up to the porch and were looking at our house.  I'm trying to entice them to come and visit more often by throwing bread crumbs out the front door and then watching from the window.  So far I'm just scaring them (or maybe it's Maggie in the yard scaring them - I guess I didn't realize she was outside).  
     There are geese everywhere - even swimming on our yard when it was flooded.  They are not afraid of us (we're a little afraid of them though - they can be aggressive).  As it's warming up we seem to have fewer and fewer of them.




taken about 3 weeks ago

     In one of the trees there is a pair of cardinals.  They like to hang out in the oak tree by the dining room window.  So typical of St Louis - Cardinals...................you'd think it was Husker football or something.
    On occasion, there has been a large crane hanging out at the pond, however he's a bit camera shy -  whenever I run to get my camera he flies away.   His wingspan must be about 6 feet and he's a light gray or white color.  Also in the pond is a beaver or an otter or something that swims into a hole in the bank of the pond.  We've only seen him a couple of times - he seems to come out if it's raining or overcast.

     Brennan discovered a bird in a nest on the old owner's aerial antenna under the deck - her name is Mr. Bird.

Creek and "Orchard"

     Now in the back yard there must live something a little more ominous.  One day we found a headless rabbit laying in the grass - the next day the body was gone................not sure what that is.  Yesterday morning when I looked out Brennan's window I saw a large house cat (?) or something else.  It was black and lurking around by the creek near the horses.  I'm not sure what that has to do with the rabbit but...........

     Here's the latest pictures of  "the ugly tree" - it's getting green leaves on it and the helicopters are growing.  It got a pruning yesterday so we can at least mow under it now.  I'm still waiting (and hoping) for an incredible transformation.................

We have these cute little wild flowers in the field - a few of these and thousands of dandelions.

Interesting day

Today Bren and I met a very nice pediatrician ............after he stuck a lego up his nose.  They got us in quickly and got it out.  Later he asked me what happened to the lego, I said I threw it away - he said, "That's OK, it was slimy."  Never a dull moment.  And no, it wasn't a toddler lego.

On another note................

Check out this great story about our friends, the Carlyles

http://omaha.com/article/20110409/NEWS01/704099877

It's so typical of Jess to rescue her friend in need.