Pulled the plug

The XO checked it to them yesterday. The firm had a little going away party and then ---out the door. After 50 years she may have some trouble being out of harness. She has the rest of this month planned and written into her planner. I am 11:00 lunch and 2:40 doctors appointment. It may take a few more months to relax.

The Dr. said I was nearly back to 100% and we can start planning on the other shoulder. I think Oct. will be soon enough. Meanwhile we can get back to work on the patio. All I have to do is tamp the sub-base down and add sand for the tiles to bed in. Once the tiles are down we can begin to enjoy it.

I'm going to talk to the guy that has taken my place for the past two months and see if he needs me to show him how to do all the things he has been doing. Gee what for. Anyhow I was planning to retire the end of July so maybe I'll go a little early. That way we can slow down together (if we don't kill each other first).

On The Road Again

The XO and I finally made the trip all the way to the bunker. Two weeks ago we tried and my new shoulder hurt so bad we had to turn back. I had to promise not to do any work and I kept that promise except that the wind (yes it blows) had rearranged the dish on the roof. Had to fix it. I had a lot of trouble one handed so I cheated a little. Paid for it today. Now I have to sweat the pt lady tomorrow, she will probably rip my arm off and beat me over the head with it.
We took the car for this trip (so I wouldn't be tempted to work) and for the first time I was stopped for speeding. We chatted some and he let me off with a warning. That strip of hi way is notorious for catching speeders because it just invites speeding. Should have known better.
The bunker looked really good driving up the mountain. All one color and the West side cleaned up, some. We really enjoyed doing nothing. I was sitting on the porch about midnight letting the breeze blow between my toes. Barbara (the XO) had gone to bed and I had an urge to do something right out of the Man Book. Everyone should have the pleasure of peeing off his own porch. Ahhh, it was good and I didn't cause any global warming or any of that stuff.
Barbara is going to retire effective the end of June and I will follow in July. We will spend more and more time at the bunker so things will begin to be finished. Oh, happy day.

Here we go again

We've been to the bunker several times year but haven't done much. We did dig and level the courtyard getting ready to lay the pavers. I am going into the hospital on Wednesday for a shoulder replacement. Bit by bit I am becoming a new man. They will do the other shoulder in a few months, the irony is that the other one is the worst. While I am under they are also going to try to repair the thumbs so I am going to be a basket case for a few weeks. If they can stop the pain I'll figure it's all worth it.
I've revised the amount of work I am going to do around the place because of the surgeries I am facing. Oh, by the way another knee is coming soon. Already I can't even walk through an airport without setting off every alarm TSA has. We went to Tampa last month and they have one of those full body X-ray gadgets. Because of the weather up on the East coast we spent all day running between SWA and Continental trying to get home. They really got to know me at the X-ray machine and would call in all their friends to watch and point. Finally got the last SWA flight into Houston then rented a car and drove home. Maybe we will spend some more quiet time at the bunker. You know, sit on the roof with the telescope and a margarita and map the night sky.

January Trip

Finally got some color on the gate beam. I also had to replace one of the doors that make up the gate. Just happened to have one left over when I decided to make the side gate out of iron. Killed two birds with that move. Got the door out of the way in the bunker and took the sag out of the gate. The door that was replaced just dried up and sagged. It was so bad that it nearly fell off.
Talked to one of the neighbors about some sand for the courtyard. I need to make a compacted bed for the pavers I will lay. For some reason the cement plant down in Alpine had only the kind of sand that still had gold in it. Must have at the price they were asking. Geeze, $65 dollars a yard plus delivery, I could almost haul it from Austin in bags for the same price. I was so flustered that I forgot to ask about concrete.

Thanksgiving

First picture first. A real two-holer. If you are lonesome or just nervous about your toilet habits this is the place for you. I ran across this in Ozona, Texas years ago but just now got around to taking a picture. This is the mens(?) room at a convenience store on the East bound side of I10. Cozy, huh. I wonder what the ladies side looks like.
The work this long weekend was to stucco the beam across the gates. It was very cold and windy so I didn't get the paint on but once finished it will match the bunker. We did get some trees cut down and the long grass cut down along the driveway. All in all it was a great trip and we will paint next trip.
I have figured out a neat fixture for the gate post. I wanted to hang a bell in the opening but haven't been able to find one that fits. I thought I would find a fire extinguisher, you know the old steel co2 kind and cut the bottom out and maybe cut one or two vertical cuts in the sides and tune it by cutting more off and using an old ball peen hammer for the clapper. I may even use a large oxy tank because I can have it 3 feet long and still fit. Should ring like a bell.

Gates are swung

It was one of those perfect days in West Texas. 27 degrees to awaken to and 75 degrees by early afternoon. I was able to hang the gates and tackle a couple of other jobs that needed doing. All in all a great weekend.
The gates are a cobble of scrap and purchased iron and some scroll work rescued from a dumpster. Most of it has been in the scrap pile for a long time. Long enough for G'maw and the neighbors to be asking about it. So, cut-cut weld-weld and cover it all with paint and viola, gates for the stucco arch. Next trip the beam across the front gates will be finished with the aid of some more foam and stucco.

A little paint

Made another trip this weekend. Put on the brown coat Friday and followed up with color coat on Saturday. The courtyard really looks good now but there has been so much rain this year that I need to get rid of the weeds before I can put down the pavers. The picture of the mountains show how green everything is. It really has been a wet year. Speaking of wet, we have been talking about taking some bottled water "just in case", well this would have been a good time to do it. Well went bad (lost its prime or spun the impeller on the motor shaft) the motor was running so. Mr Prude, the well service guy, was on his way but we had to leave so won't know if it got fixed today or not. Next trip we will carry some water to leave, "just in case".
The first picture shows the glass block climbing up the arch. I have thought that it would really look good and besides I have 500 glass blocks just waiting to be used. The blocks would climb each side and if there is any space at the top I will use a cut concrete block to close the gap and hide it with a star or something. We shall see.