In the top picture the uppers are mostly installed and I am repairing some of the floor tile.

The lower photograph shows the new butcher block counter tops on the south side. Today I took the back splash tile out and tomorrow I'll replace it with a different style and different color tile!

Progress on the house

I have been working on my house pretty steady since I got her in July.

My bedroom/bath suite is livable and comfortable. That is a big deal. It is small enough space (400 square feet) that I can heat it easily, even in nasty cold weather.

But the kitchen consisted of a new range and a new refer and to begin with no cabinets of any kind. I put some of the the uppers back in (there was no real reason they were taken out, the water did not get that high. Later I put up nearly all of the upper cabinets.

I could cook after a fashion, but water was in the Utility room, and that is camping not living!

Last week I took the range out so I could install the new lower cabinets I was building. This week I am working on the butcher block counter tops and tile for the back splash.

But the finish I wanted for the counter tops is not available locally (tung oil!) so I cannot finish the wood and install the sink till it gets here and I can get a couple coats in place near the sink.

But, I am hoping by the end of this week to have a functioning kitchen: Sink with hot and cold running water  (and a plumbed in drain!); a Refrigerator and a range with an oven.

Then I can begin to cook and make bread and eat really well once again!

Friend of mine live in a place where if it is not raining, then it will rain very soon. Nice and green, but wet!

Miriam a few years ago.
This is one of my favorite pictures of her.
I miss her.

Sunday concert

I went to a concert Sunday afternoon.

The main performers were two ladies that are the grand ladies of keyboard music in my little town in the down left corner of Idaho.

One was in her mid 80’s and had played the organ at the Methodist church for 50 years, until she broke a leg! The other lady was in her early 70’s. She still is playing the organ for the Presbyterian Church! 

These two ladies played 4 hands on one piano, they plaid on two pianos  and they played together on the pipe organ. At one point they were both playing the organ with four hands and four feet.

Along the way the older lady’s son played the Cello. I recognized his hame. He played his cello for my 3rd daughter’s wedding a very long time ago. Daughter was taking cello lessons from him and we all liked the idea of a solo cello as the music for the ceremony.

He had his PhD, but in English, but was young and not out of graduate school too long. He was teaching part time at the local college.

After the concert I visited with him for a bit.

“You played at my daughter’s wedding.”

“What was her name?” I told him. 

“I remember her. She was one of my cello students and she was a joy to work with.” 

That was about 30 years ago and he remembered. He has been teaching English at Idaho State University on the other side of the state for these intervening years. 

I am double glad I went to the concert! 

It was a great afternoon.