june 16-18, more trim & window frames

friday, june 16
two cars heading down, J--- coming from Roanoke & K--- and I from Leesburg. K--- hadn't seen the house since late winter so J--- was really looking forward to showing our progress.

K--- and I got down by early afternoon, took time to walk on the beach, went by Claywerks to pick up tile samples for the kitchen counters, and then got to work. K--- tidied up & I finished painting a 2nd coat on all the trim boards. Cleaned up & headed to Venetto's on Mason Avenue for pizza, J--- joined us just as the pizza hit the table. Good thing, 'else he wouldn't have gotten any! Walked down to the beach & watched the sun set. Spent the night at the house, camping out on air mattresses.

saturday, june 17
up relatively early, walked several blocks to Mason Avenue for breakfast at the Cape Charles Coffee House...they were a little frazzled, didn't expect so many people for breakfast before 8, but they bravely jumped in & fed us as all as the others who showed up. Must be summer business picking up.

K--- joined her dad with caulking, pounding nails, and starting trim installs. Not to mention framing in the rough drywall edges around the staircase.

My task was to primer coat, Kilz, all the window frames J--- constructed last weekend. At least 13 of them. After getting all those done we walked over to Rayfields for lunch, nice little breakfast/lunch counter in the drugstore.

Back to the house, J--- & K--- continued with their tasks upstairs & I sanded the frames & painted a first coat of white. I could do all but three of the frames because there was no room to layout & dry the last three.

Time to clean up, we headed over to the Bay Creek Marina, trying not too look too indigent & like we really belonged, we headed for the marina showers. Lovely! Large blue-gray slate lined walls with blue-green granite seats & counters. Heaven to get clean. All tidied up we headed upstairs to the bar above Aqua (the marina restaurant). Had drinks, ate lovely salads, & watched the sun set over the bay.

sunday, june 18
early up, we needed to hit the road early. Breakfast at McDonalds, simple & quick. Then some tidying up, more caulking, painted the last three frames, then on the road back home.

june 9-11

friday, june 9
J---headed down late in the afternoon & got there early enough to unload the car & have quiet night. We're staying at the house this weekend, no room at the inn.

saturday, june 10
I got down late with Miss B, she'd had a rough morning & I'd hit traffic. But we got there. J--- was doing door installations & building the window frames (cutting, gluing, and so on). My job was painting, patching the front door with wood putty, sanding the newel post.

sunday, june 11
I got some weeding done. Planted nasturium seeds & morning glory seedlings. Going to have to tackle the PI soon. Wrap up & head out.

june 1-3, trim and doors

friday, june 1
J--- headed down ahead of me to pickup clear pine for the trimwork, mouldings, door & window frames. Spent the night, maybe our last, at the Best Western Eastern in Exmore. It's getting harder to get a room with summer traffic picking up. We'll be staying at the house Saturday night because the hotel is filled. Dinner at the fabulous El Maguey.

saturday, june 2
J--- starting installing the doors, and cutting & building window frames. I started painting the trim pieces. First primer coat, Kilz, then sanding, then two coats of ultra-bright semigloss white. Plugged in my Ipod shuffle so I could listen to tunes while I painted. Makes a tedious job go faster.

J--- remembered about the showers at the Bay Creek marina, so we headed over there to see if we could clean up. We were both hot & sweaty. Glorious showers! Slate floors, walls, & ceilings. Lots of hot water. Dinner at Venetto's & then a walk on the bay for sunset. Home to sleep.

sunday, june 3
wrap up, tidy up, take pictures of progress, & back on the road