ICE anyone?

After years of replacing plastic hoses gone bad on the back of the refrigerator, and finally giving up for a while, a copper hose coil was put to good use. Yesterday, ken and hayden worked as a team to install and test to success. The day closed with an occasional happy little kerplunk sound of ice being made. ken, (Mr. "more ice please" was quite content. Perhaps he'll have ice for breakfast! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL OF THE DADS!!

BIG NEWS - it bloomed!

This is not home improvement news, but worthy of a little cyber space of its own. The Chinese Night Blooming Cereus plant that we have been waiting for 14 years to bloom FINALLY had it's big moment tonight. It probably had a complex because it has been banished to the laundry room because the plant itself is... well... NOT pretty. It was a BIG event and we are glad the kids were able to see it. It is currently 9" accross (1am). Here is the address to an interesting time-lapse of a cereus bud opening i just found: http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~rfovell/cereus_bloom.html
The detail in this flower is so amazing, there is no doubt who the master designer of this wonder is!

This + That

Several projects were attacked tonight. Coach Mark spackeled the living room/dining room 1/2 walls and kids bath wall. Then Mark and Ken successfully (except for one corner) popped the big mirror off of the kid's bath wall to prep for the double-vanity and new mirrors. There was a surprise under there! (see photo)... looks like there was another mirror and different light fixtures at some point. Speaking of surprises, Ken decided to address the kitchen ceiling leak stain from the master bath. Cutting the dry wall away, he discovered that the shower drain coupling had come loose over the years and had not only wrecked the ceiling, but did quite a number on the radiant heat panel, which had to be removed (see water damage photo). The hunt is on to find a replacement.

Fireplace Log Bin 3

Ken and Fred made great strides on "the box" today... actually, short of some stain, a rubber seal and a bolt latch with lock, it is complete! The inside was lined with insulation, then oak. The door swings up as a "roof" to keep snow and rain out while loading. Looking forward to using it this winter!

Gardens

This afternoon, ken wrangled the renegade bamboo that strayed from the pack. It is a little late in the season to be transplanting, so we stuck it in a big bucket of good soil along with an orphan yellow rain tree and put it in the shade. We'll move it later if it survives. Hayden and Suzan conquered the out-of-control (especially the mint) herb garden and added some new parsley and rosemary.

Powder Room

The new corian counter top has arrived and was installed yesterday. We are not pleased with the cut job of the right wall side, so we will paint and silicone on a little finish molding to crisp up the wall edges.