Tuesday, October 4
Oct. 5th, 2022 12:31 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gottawonderToday I am grateful for:
Glorious Fall weather continues.
A good daily chat with the contractors. All is well in the basement. The lino got installed in the bathroom, and it looks good. The sink fixture with cupboard is installed, but not hooked up yet.
This contractor is a funny guy. He really can't ever just straight out give you credit for anything.
I end up laughing about it, because in the end, what is he going to do if something isn't perfect and I did it? Nothing!
I did a very good job of painting the cold room, but he always has to say "it's okay, good enough I guess". The nice linoleum that I found for the bathroom? He doesn't mind it. The lovely hint of cream paint I chose for the bathroom, and the near-perfect paint job I did? It looks nice, a little thin in spots, and I wouldn't have thought it would work with the lino you picked, but it looks fine.
It would kill him to say "it looks great" without some kind of modifying comment afterwards.
He often comments that he doesn't like blue, and whether or not he thinks something looks dated. I have told him outright that in the end, I don't care whether or not something looks dated, it's whether or not it suits US. He is fine to "advise" us about what generally looks good, and we'll take it into consideration, but if it is just our personal taste or budget, then it's up to us.
I went to see River, and it was a lovely evening for it. I managed to stay out of the way of K's lesson, and hopefully avoiding drama.
We worked on the obstacles at Liberty, and did well with that. He could back up more quickly, or respond in general with a bit more oomph, but that has long been a characteristic of his. SLOWLY. Even though his breathing is fine in this weather, and it isn't hot.
Some positive chatting with others there taking lessons.
Then I rode again bareback with the neck rope, and it was great. He really responds to my seat without the saddle.
The still unfinished but looking good bathroom:
We have been playing email tag with the guy from the bank who is supposed to help us move U.S. stocks to Canada (after selling them, move the money). He just emails us, says "call me", but never picks up his phone. So we call, leave a message that we'd like to have him call us, and he emails us again saying "call me". I'm not going to put up with this for long.
I had a quiet evening at home, because I finally didn't have to paint anything (in the last week or so, I painted three coats on the cold room and three coats in the bathroom downstairs, at an hour and a half per coat, one room at a time. Six coats total. One coat per night. Roughly ten hours of painting.) and while I should be still fixing horse blankets, I am taking the night off.
Today I learned about Fort Boyard. It was first proposed in the 1660's by Louis XIV (the Sun King), but was started and stalled several times until Napoleon Bonaparte renewed the build. It was finally completed in 1857, by which time the whole idea of having a fort that used cannons and such as defense was largely obsolete.
It was a prison for a short time, then was abandoned, having barely been used. It was sold in 1961 to Charente Maritime Regional Council.
It has been used for a game show called Boyard Castle, and other film sets. It was never used at a military fort.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Boyard_(fortification)#History
Glorious Fall weather continues.
A good daily chat with the contractors. All is well in the basement. The lino got installed in the bathroom, and it looks good. The sink fixture with cupboard is installed, but not hooked up yet.
This contractor is a funny guy. He really can't ever just straight out give you credit for anything.
I end up laughing about it, because in the end, what is he going to do if something isn't perfect and I did it? Nothing!
I did a very good job of painting the cold room, but he always has to say "it's okay, good enough I guess". The nice linoleum that I found for the bathroom? He doesn't mind it. The lovely hint of cream paint I chose for the bathroom, and the near-perfect paint job I did? It looks nice, a little thin in spots, and I wouldn't have thought it would work with the lino you picked, but it looks fine.
It would kill him to say "it looks great" without some kind of modifying comment afterwards.
He often comments that he doesn't like blue, and whether or not he thinks something looks dated. I have told him outright that in the end, I don't care whether or not something looks dated, it's whether or not it suits US. He is fine to "advise" us about what generally looks good, and we'll take it into consideration, but if it is just our personal taste or budget, then it's up to us.
I went to see River, and it was a lovely evening for it. I managed to stay out of the way of K's lesson, and hopefully avoiding drama.
We worked on the obstacles at Liberty, and did well with that. He could back up more quickly, or respond in general with a bit more oomph, but that has long been a characteristic of his. SLOWLY. Even though his breathing is fine in this weather, and it isn't hot.
Some positive chatting with others there taking lessons.
Then I rode again bareback with the neck rope, and it was great. He really responds to my seat without the saddle.
The still unfinished but looking good bathroom:
We have been playing email tag with the guy from the bank who is supposed to help us move U.S. stocks to Canada (after selling them, move the money). He just emails us, says "call me", but never picks up his phone. So we call, leave a message that we'd like to have him call us, and he emails us again saying "call me". I'm not going to put up with this for long.
I had a quiet evening at home, because I finally didn't have to paint anything (in the last week or so, I painted three coats on the cold room and three coats in the bathroom downstairs, at an hour and a half per coat, one room at a time. Six coats total. One coat per night. Roughly ten hours of painting.) and while I should be still fixing horse blankets, I am taking the night off.
Today I learned about Fort Boyard. It was first proposed in the 1660's by Louis XIV (the Sun King), but was started and stalled several times until Napoleon Bonaparte renewed the build. It was finally completed in 1857, by which time the whole idea of having a fort that used cannons and such as defense was largely obsolete.
It was a prison for a short time, then was abandoned, having barely been used. It was sold in 1961 to Charente Maritime Regional Council.
It has been used for a game show called Boyard Castle, and other film sets. It was never used at a military fort.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Boyard_(fortification)#History
no subject
Date: 2022-10-06 05:56 am (UTC)The bathroom looks great!! :) It's going to look so clean, spacious, and lovely when it's done, and I love that you aren't a lady who just drops the work order on the boys and waits. No, it's your home and you are involved in every little bit of the home-making! :)
Especially as the weather turns, I need to think of a hobby like painting things or something that can be calming, creative, and fun in the evenings. But your painting right now is work, and I'm glad you got a night off. Enjoy!
no subject
Date: 2022-10-06 06:46 am (UTC)I'm sure it sucks to be his wife in that regard. I bet she never gets to do a good job in his eyes either.
I'm sure it is strange for this contractor to be working as much as he does with me. I'm not making much in the way of technical decisions (and I never did, that is always up to my Sweetie), but I have always been in on decisions as much as I am able to be. The color, some technical things, what kind of flooring, what kind of paint, room dimensions downstairs, what kind of doors, type and color of siding and stone accents, you name it.
I DON'T make decisions too much on things like "HOW are we going to insert the modern windows to preserve the old interior frame" other than "I would like to still have the look of the old windows as much as possible with modern insulating values".
Normally, I would be working with my husband and DOING just about every stage of this work with him, if he had the time to do it.
We are still going to have lots left to do together.
I am really loving how the downstairs bathroom looks so far. I really wanted it to be a good size, since we have lots of room down there. When we are done, I really want the guest room and this bathroom to be very nice spaces for visitors.
I look forward to being able to paint for pleasure again. I haven't felt like it for a while.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-07 05:45 am (UTC)I keep thinking you're going to enjoy your home so much more for having literally put yourself into it so much!
no subject
Date: 2022-10-07 07:29 am (UTC)We have done a lot on this place over the time we've been here. We've built fences, a shop/garage with almost no help from contractors, got a barn built by a company, built a shed for the ponies/goats, and now all the work on this house which is still about 80% work we did ourselves (and with help from friends).
It does mean a lot to do the work yourself, or at the very least to be closely involved with the contractors. It's nice to make those decisions and feel like you are creating your space.
no subject
Date: 2022-10-07 11:04 pm (UTC)Cheer!