Traffic? No Problem!

Trying to get through rush hour? Get a humvee!

Motor City Madman

Ted Nugent was at the Reading Sport show last night. Got to hear his rant (video to come), see him play the Star Spangled Banner, and he signed my NRA card. Cool dude!

Ted plays our National Anthem

Sunroom 99% complete

Got all the cabinets in and painted. Just have to hook up the electrical for the lights under the top cabinet and also in the top cabinet. I cut out the panels on the doors using a router from the back and will get some glass this week for them as well as a glass shelf to replace the wood one. Also need to build a box under the bench to hide the foam insulation.

Old Movies from the Far East !

Following is a brief clip from Grandmom Adelaides home movies recovered and converted to DVD by Dad Rumbold. They are from the 1930's when Grandmom and Grandpa Jack were stationed in Sumatra.

The opening shot is Lake Toba, then to the rubber plantation at Kisarin.

The bicycling was in front of their home at Benoit.

Enjoy!

Dorinda's grandfather

He had another heart procedure at UPenn yesterday and is doing well. It was supposed to be a mitrial valve replacement after the repair last spring, but the surgeon noticed that 2 of the sutures on the repair were failed and at his age (82?) instead of go ahead with the replacement the Dr. just repaired the sutures and has 100% confidence. Less invasive that way and hopefully a quicker recovery.

New Cabinets

I bought these unfinished oak cabinets at Lowes for about $450. I have to get some more beadboard for over top of the counter, cut the countertop and then Dorinda is going to do an antique black paint finish. Oh and I have to figure out how to support the bench so I can get rid of that 2x4- there was lack of studs in that wall to support on that side....

I also added the light fixture above the bench and moved the outlet above the counter.

Christmas Eve

We had a great time with lots of family in. People started arriving around 4:30 and we had dinner about 6 including roasted turkey, spiral honey ham, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry, and wide beverage selection. Before saying grace Andy read the following as a reminder of the real reason why we all gather together every year at this time:

One Solitary Life
He was born in an obscure village,the child of a peasant woman.
He grew up in still another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty. Then for 3 years, he was an itinerent preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house.
He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where he was born.
He did none of the things one usually associates with greatness. He had no credentials except himself. He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away.
He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, his executioners gambled for His clothing,the only property He had on earth. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.
Nineteen centuries have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader of mankind's progress. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man on this earth so much as THAT ONE SOLITARY LIFE.
-Author Unknown (adapted from a sermon by Dr James Allan Francis in “The Real Jesus and Other Sermons” © 1926 by the Judson Press of Philadelphia (pp 123-124 titled “Arise Sir Knight!”). If you are interested, you can read the original version .




Dorinda's brother Justin & Dimples


Drink anyone?



Mom Rumbold & Mom-mom Elliott


Tyler & Max keeping busy


AJ being AJ



Dorinda with Luke's gift


Mom & Andy's cousin Dan


Everyone was having fun!


Jonathan & Allison


After the polyanna gifts


Dan, Jon, and Chris


Gotta love those candid photos! Dorinda's sister Lyndsay, Justin's wife Becca, and Justin


Dorinda's dad Rich & his good friend Greg


Pop-pop enjoying the chair and a half


Dorinda's mom Deb hates being the center of attention!

Sunroom just about complete

Before.....



After.....

Sunroom Floor complete!

Finally! Just some trim work and painting left. Putting down floors is brutal on the body. My friend Bob helped me out making cuts. I rented a power stapler from Home Depot and started around 9:30 and returned the stapler at 9pm yesterday. Today I put the last 2 rows in and got some of the trim work done. The trim color is going to be the gold color that you see on one of the windows.

Man was I hurting after that, took me a few days to recover! Neck, arms, legs...

Pine Tree Camp 2006

Well the hunting trip was lacking in only one thing this year- deer! Only a few even sighted and no shots taken despite the ideal conditions (snow, cold). Time to try a new area perhaps next year.

Jeff cleaning up the squirrel pantry


Shorty and Brice


Good thing we didn't have to count on eating venison!


Down @ the gas shanty


Visibility was good


Jeff in the State Game Lands


The Mountain Bar never disappoints


Removing a large tree blocking the logging road

Thanksgiving

We went up to Elmcroft late Thursday and spent the weekend helping my dad out with the estate. George, Karen, Doug, and the kids came over for a delicious dinner on Saturday. Dimples had the best time!




Dorinda making the stuffing



We dug up some peonies from Grandmom's garden and stopped at the cemetary on the way home to plant some at her gravesite, and we also planted some at our house.

New Door is In

My buddy Jace helped me, well actually I helped him. Most of the subfloor is also down, we'll paint next week and then I'll probably start on the bamboo flooring after deer camp which is the Fri-Wed after Thanksgiving.

Floor Progress

Over the weekend and tonight I got the remaining joists in and closed up the floor. I just have a few pieces of insulation to put in, and our friend Jace is coming over on Thursday to help me put the new patio door in and install some flashing.

Before


After

Guys golf trip

Trip out to Las Vegas last weekend to ride cycles and play golf with Mike V, Rafael, Tom, John M, Mike M, Keith, and Ron K.


Red Rock Canyon







Black Mountain Golf Course

I was very apprehensive about swinging, first time out since my herniated disc. I did pay for it the next day...





Video from the ride