New York August NYC Meet-Up 2021

[Calzone]

Just got back from Austin. Had to attend an outdoor wedding held at a ranch for “Maggie’s” niece. True love was evident, and I am happy-happy.

I really got to explore Austin a bit, and it was odd walking around by myself and hearing someone call out my name from a road or from a patio on Ladybird Lake. Anyways these were not locals… I always say, “The world is not that big.”

But I did make a good friend with someone from Austin. Tim had a wolf hybrid and this is how I struck a conversation with him. In New Mexico a friend had a Wolf/Malamute hybrid, but Tim’s dog was huge, only 2 years old, and was still growing. A majestic animal that drew lots of attention.

So Tim is a Tech Manager in cyber security. I gleaned a lot of info from him and his area of expertise. We also talked a lot about wealth and how to protect it. He claims that from a few transactions he could figure out how much is in a digital wallet in about 3 hours.

So anyways Tim and I will stay in touch. We walked around a bit talking for a couple of hours…

We stay at a hotel in the Barton Springs neighborhood, and I pretty much walked a good section of the river walk, crossed over to the downtown side of the river, and then ran into Tim.

I got a lot of smut and insider info. Of course we talked about the war in the Ukraine, how all the Russian Generals got killed, the things that are not in the news, and what is really going on.

The day before we were shopping on Congress, which is a luxury shopping district. I went into a store called “Revival” that pretty much was a motorcycle shop. Found this really cool designed padded backpack for photographers. This bag is trick because it opens on either side and also the top. Pretty much no need to dig into the bottom to access anything.

Anyways a very-very cool camera bag.

I had to buy these motorcycle gloves that have armored knuckles. Kinda like wearing brass knuckles. I also bought another pair of gloves that were not weapons.

Back by the hotel was some graph-FEET-E “Wash your hands ya filthy animal.”

Anyways Austin has a Brooklyn vibe and is full of young people.

The bad was Jet Blue had third world service. Departing from JFK boarding had a long delay, and then we sat in the plane for an hour and a half. The plane had mechanical problems that had to be resolved to be flight ready.

Then on the return pretty much the same things happened except worse. Pretty much our plane was eventually grounded and we got on a plane that had just landed. The flight to Cancun that was scheduled for that plane was cancelled.

Understand that the previous days flight to JFK had been cancelled, and many passengers from that flight were on my plane, so it would of been really bad to bump these passengers again.

Also some other wedding attendees had to fly to Boston and transfere to another plane to get back to NYC.

Pretty much mucho cascading of disasters. Lots of maintenance issues being performed/repaired at the gate.

One of the wedding guests pitched a bitch and got a $500.00 credit, but I don’t think I will ever fly Jet Blue ever again. Pretty much a plane crash ready to happen with all the maintenance issues. Then there is the waste of time…

Delays, compounding delays, and even cancellations.

Anyways I’m glad to be home, but I also miss Austin. Understand that we love profoundly our niece and her new husband. I cried at the wedding.

BTW Maggie reported that yesterday in Peekskill there was hail. I came home expecting to see a spring progression, but nothing is really happening. What a late spring.

Cal

 

[MrFujicaman]

Cal, everybody I know who's used Jet Blue said pretty much the same thing. It's kinda like a flying NYC transit bus. And when you add the baggage fees and other "add-ons" they stick you with, you could have flown Southwest for less money and hassle.

FYI-Southwest flies out of Albany NY (airport code ALB) Hartford CT (code BDL), La Guardia (code LGA), Long Island (code ISP). I fly Southwest because I've figured out their crazy-I don't have time to figure out some other airlines crazy.

And yeah, they fly to Austin, (code AUS). I figured it out-if you'd booked far enough in advance you could have flown for about $150 each way from ALB!

 

[Austintatious]

Cal, I'm glad that you liked Austin, my old hometown. I spent more than 30 years living in that city and it has grown and changed a lot. It used to be a medium sized college town ( my wife worked 25 years at UT Austin ) Now it has attracted a lot of big tech players and thus it has gone big city now. When we retired, we knew we would need to relocate somewhere smaller and less expensive to live. The last home we owned for about 20 years was what allowed us to do this. (two bedroom one bath)
We bought the place for $135,000 and did an addition and a lot of updating. When we left Austin five years ago, we sold the place for $450,000 and paid cash for our next home in Colorado Springs. Since we left there, that little house has been resold three times in five years and Zillow now shows it to be worth one million bucks!
Austin has turned in to San Fransisco as far as cost of living. If we had stayed there, we would have made mucho more money ,but in Texas it's the property tax that will get you. The tax on that place is now just under $15,000 a year and not doable on a retirement income, which is why we had to leave.
My Daughter and son-in-law still live there and we visit Austin 2 or 3 times a year to see them. Because of what you just encountered flying, we always drive there.
The main thing that I miss is the food scene in Austin. The restaurants are incredible ! The thing I don't miss is the traffic and the crowds from festivals. (SXSW,etc.)
My next visit will be in May to see the kids.😀

 

[Phil_F_NM]

"A triple is more complicated and problematic."
This is false.
If a bike is set up with a derailleur in the front, assuming that it is using two chainrings, then a third chainring is no more complicated and it decreases wear on the chain by decreasing lateral flex and force.
There is a reason that 7, 8 or 9 speed rear (not 10, 11 or 12) is the standard for people who trek around the world on their bicycles. This is due to the fact that they offer the most strength in a chain while offering the most gearing available. The real problem is chainline. In a 1x11 system, the chain is made thinner, lighter and designed to be more laterally "flexible" to move from 1 to 11 without changing a chainring. Campagnolo and Shimano figured this out, that they could offer these incredible cassette ranges AND make more money because the thinner chains are guaranteed to wear out quicker. The MTBF of an 11 speed chain is about 2/3 that of a 9 speed chain. So, going back to the triple chainring, the reason it is less complicated, is that it allows the rider to flex the chain laterally less, and therefore wear out fewer chains. The only issue is that if you have a 3x9, for example, the smallest ring should only use the largest 5 cogs, the middle chainring, can use the middle 5 or 7 cogs, and the largest chainring should use the smallest 6 or 5 cogs. The numbers change according to the amount of force applied, so there is more wear on a chain using a granny gear than using a big chainring like 48t on a 12 or 11t cog. Judicious use of the shifters and being very mindful about which gear combinations the rider is using can help with decreasing drivetrain wear. The goal is to keep the chainline as straight as possible, which is why 3xN is more advantageous than 2xN.
The folks who commute heavily in wetter climates, along with some who tour across continents, actually swear by using internally geared hubs (IGH) which negates the whole flexing chainline altogether, and allows the chain plates, bushings and rollers to be thicker. The problem with the IGH is that using one limits the rider to the mechanical limits of the hub; the best hubs out there offer a 500% - 600% ratio between lowest and highest gears. The Rolhoff IGH is the top end of the IGH line and offers the same ratio range as a decent triple setup. After that are the NuVinci and Shimano Alfine 11 hubs which offer about 500% difference between lowest and highest gear, so they cover a wide-range double crankset ratio. The ultimate way to create a wide range IGH setup would be to use a really good hub like the Shimano Alfine 11 or Alfine 8 and drive it with a Schlumpf Drive crankset, which is a planetary drive system that gives a wide range of gearing across two gears. This would allow greatly extending the range of the IGH, depending upon the ratio of the planetary set.
I just finished building up a 1983 Univega Alpina Uno with the intent on using it to ride across North America. I built it as a 3x8, full XT with XT topmount thumbshifters to give the greatest reliability and future repair-ability. Right now I'm breaking in a Brooks Conquest saddle and it's killing my backside on longer rides.

Phil Forrest

 

[Calzone]

Cal, I'm glad that you liked Austin, my old hometown. I spent more than 30 years living in that city and it has grown and changed a lot. It used to be a medium sized college town ( my wife worked 25 years at UT Austin ) Now it has attracted a lot of big tech players and thus it has gone big city now. When we retired, we knew we would need to relocate somewhere smaller and less expensive to live. The last home we owned for about 20 years was what allowed us to do this. (two bedroom one bath)
We bought the place for $135,000 and did an addition and a lot of updating. When we left Austin five years ago, we sold the place for $450,000 and paid cash for our next home in Colorado Springs. Since we left there, that little house has been resold three times in five years and Zillow now shows it to be worth one million bucks!
Austin has turned in to San Fransisco as far as cost of living. If we had stayed there, we would have made mucho more money ,but in Texas it's the property tax that will get you. The tax on that place is now just under $15,000 a year and not doable on a retirement income, which is why we had to leave.
My Daughter and son-in-law still live there and we visit Austin 2 or 3 times a year to see them. Because of what you just encountered flying, we always drive there.
The main thing that I miss is the food scene in Austin. The restaurants are incredible ! The thing I don't miss is the traffic and the crowds from festivals. (SXSW,etc.)
My next visit will be in May to see the kids.😀

Austin,

I don’t miss living in a big city, in my case NYC.

The food was mucho good in Austin, but I don’t want to kill myself by over eating. Pretty easy to do in Austin.

The congestion is really bad in Austin, and it is pretty easy to see that it is a hub for tech workers. On our trip to the ranch where the wedding was held though the speed limit was 80 MPH.

I think “Maggie” has the pine allergy that makes Texas unlivable for her. Also she can’t handle the sun and heat. She is prone to heatstroke. Meanwhile I can go shooting when the heat index is evil because I have the body and makeup for the tropics.

Anyways we will be visiting our niece and her husband likely once a year at least, and know that for Christmas they come to New York.

I talked with my new friend Tim from Austin today. We will be sending lots of e-mails. BTW he is perhaps a generation and a half younger than me. Pretty much he is a hipster/tech professional who is at the very top of the food chain, meaning very smart and successful.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

"A triple is more complicated and problematic."
This is false.
If a bike is set up with a derailleur in the front, assuming that it is using two chainrings, then a third chainring is no more complicated and it decreases wear on the chain by decreasing lateral flex and force.
There is a reason that 7, 8 or 9 speed rear (not 10, 11 or 12) is the standard for people who trek around the world on their bicycles. This is due to the fact that they offer the most strength in a chain while offering the most gearing available. The real problem is chainline. In a 1x11 system, the chain is made thinner, lighter and designed to be more laterally "flexible" to move from 1 to 11 without changing a chainring. Campagnolo and Shimano figured this out, that they could offer these incredible cassette ranges AND make more money because the thinner chains are guaranteed to wear out quicker. The MTBF of an 11 speed chain is about 2/3 that of a 9 speed chain. So, going back to the triple chainring, the reason it is less complicated, is that it allows the rider to flex the chain laterally less, and therefore wear out fewer chains. The only issue is that if you have a 3x9, for example, the smallest ring should only use the largest 5 cogs, the middle chainring, can use the middle 5 or 7 cogs, and the largest chainring should use the smallest 6 or 5 cogs. The numbers change according to the amount of force applied, so there is more wear on a chain using a granny gear than using a big chainring like 48t on a 12 or 11t cog. Judicious use of the shifters and being very mindful about which gear combinations the rider is using can help with decreasing drivetrain wear. The goal is to keep the chainline as straight as possible, which is why 3xN is more advantageous than 2xN.
The folks who commute heavily in wetter climates, along with some who tour across continents, actually swear by using internally geared hubs (IGH) which negates the whole flexing chainline altogether, and allows the chain plates, bushings and rollers to be thicker. The problem with the IGH is that using one limits the rider to the mechanical limits of the hub; the best hubs out there offer a 500% - 600% ratio between lowest and highest gears. The Rolhoff IGH is the top end of the IGH line and offers the same ratio range as a decent triple setup. After that are the NuVinci and Shimano Alfine 11 hubs which offer about 500% difference between lowest and highest gear, so they cover a wide-range double crankset ratio. The ultimate way to create a wide range IGH setup would be to use a really good hub like the Shimano Alfine 11 or Alfine 8 and drive it with a Schlumpf Drive crankset, which is a planetary drive system that gives a wide range of gearing across two gears. This would allow greatly extending the range of the IGH, depending upon the ratio of the planetary set.
I just finished building up a 1983 Univega Alpina Uno with the intent on using it to ride across North America. I built it as a 3x8, full XT with XT topmount thumbshifters to give the greatest reliability and future repair-ability. Right now I'm breaking in a Brooks Conquest saddle and it's killing my backside on longer rides.

Phil Forrest

Phil,

Thanks for setting me straight. I have a very fresh 9-speed XTR, and it kinda makes sense to set up the Ti Basso with a triple for epic long rides.

On top of this I have a UST wheel set to go tubeless, and a retro very light old school wheel set that is ideal for narrower tires.

It would be great to have a versatile bike that offers great flexibility.

Anyways at every bike shop there is always talk of an old guy who rides every day that is mucho strong. Anyways I want to be one of those guys.

Today I just did an easy ride for an hour and a half to get some time in the saddle. I pushed it a little in the climbs, but I’m in no rush. Time in the saddle adds up.

I explored the northern end of Peekskill where I guess there use to be a fort of some sorts. Also there is some Spa/hotel called The Abbey. There is a rock outcrop that one approaches on Route 9 that has building perched on a huge rock outcropping that overlooks the Hudson.

Did you know that in the summer that saltwater Bluefish can be caught in Peekskill. Also lots of Blue claw crabs. Know that even though Peekskill is 40-50 miles upriver that the water is brackish.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

In securing an IBIS Exie I’m at a level where I need a pro shop, and the one I found is at a level where they are rather exclusive and by appointment only. Lou has been an IBIS dealer for 25 years and the only other brand he sells is Santa Cruz (bicycles, not guitars).

So the smut is that Lou expects sometime later this year that parts stockpiles will run out. Know that as far as the Exie goes the frames are made in California and the Exie currently is only available as a complete bike that is offered in three different builds, but when parts availability prevents complete bikes being sold, then frames will be sold separately.

Meanwhile Lou has stockpiled parts to basically do a custom build. Pretty crazy.

So over the next few weeks our kitchen and powder room will get done. Pretty much a straight forward job. After this I somehow have to deal with “woman factor” and sell “Maggie” on why I need a new very expensive bike.

Today I did a road ride that began with hills, then I worked my ways toward the river, and then home via another excursion to northern Peekskill. An hour and twenty minute ride that resulted in sone road rash on my right elbow. I just checked my right hip and there is a red patch, but no black and blue bruising.

I came around a blind turn about a block from my house and discovered a car approaching, I jammed on the rear brake and pancaked the bike. Was not going fast, I have a bit of road rash now on my right elbow.

I ordered some Boxwoods online to cultivate a hedge by the patio. They are in 3 gallon pots so not so small. Should be ready to ship in 3-5 days.

I want to mow the lawn today, and add some more manure to the patio beds.

When I was in Austin I did lots of pushups. On a good day I can do at least two sets of 60, and then 55 in a third set.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Kinda crazy buying a bicycle that costs as much as a motorcycle.

At my hotel were a bunch of bikers that owned BMW R-1800’s. They came from all over the country. Anyways the R-1800 is mucho long and low slung. 1800 cc’s is almost a two liter displacement. The R-1800 only came out last year. Street price is $18K.

A loaded IBIS Edie is about $12.8K. A size large for my height only weighs about 24 pounds without pedals. About 5 years ago I was looking at a Ducati “Monster” and it was only about $10K.

Cal

Postscript: A new Ducati Monster is $11,895.00. WOW my future IBIS mountain bike costs more.

 

[Calzone]

Back in the day I had a 1967 four door Ford Falcon as my bike car. It was half maroon and half rust in color, the Yakama bike rack was worth more than the car, and proudly displayed mounted in the bike rack was a high-end Titanium bike that was state of the art at the time.

Pretty much someone who would become a great friend out in the Hamptons said, “You got you priorities straight.”

In the end, my bike and car was a lot cooler than the other high-end bikes mounted on Porsches, Mercedes, and BMW’s that my investment banker friends had.

Then the girls with hard bodies and no need for makeup would encircle my car and even sit on the hood. Fact is that the Wall Street women find Wall Street guys boring. Pretty much they say, “They talk about work all the time.”

So the money has to come from somewhere, and I have no problem living simply and humbly to have something that is durable and has a long future that in the end will enhance my life for a long-long time.

For me less is more, and what I buy I intend to keep. I kept all my old bikes, I’m glad I did, and today they remain treasures that still provide me pleasure. Trophies of a sort, but well earned.

So I only have 4 bikes, all are titanium, except for the Steel IBIS that was my first bike. Now just imagine you had your first car, how cool would that be? For me it was a 1967 Volvo 122S that I called “Vivian.” Out of 5 bikes three will be IBIS’s. My steel IBIS is over 35 years old. The Ti IBIS Mountain Trials is pre-1994, pre-V-brakes and is a one-off/prototype. How cool is that?

Pretty much I have a steel version of a radical bike, IBIS Mountain Trials, and a titanium version of the same bike.

I’m anxious to get the kitchen done. Don’t know with the Covid shortages if I can buy a complete bike, which might save me money, or if I am forced to go with a custom build up. Lou pretty much has stuff stockpiled if we have to go that way.

BTW IBIS builds their own wheels, and Lou says that the IBIS carbon fiber wheels are steps ahead of the competition.

The Exie started out as a lab experiment in 2014 to figure out how to make the frame in the USA instead of Asia. Lots of research and developement happened with mucho forward thinking. Then things were scaled up and a solar powered high tech factory was built in California.

The IBIS Exie is a bike built for World Cup Cross Country racing.

”Don’t tell Maggie.”

Cal

 

[jszokoli]

Today I did a road ride that began with hills, then I worked my ways toward the river, and then home via another excursion to northern Peekskill. An hour and twenty minute ride that resulted in sone road rash on my right elbow. I just checked my right hip and there is a red patch, but no black and blue bruising.

I came around a blind turn about a block from my house and discovered a car approaching, I jammed on the rear brake and pancaked the bike. Was not going fast, I have a bit of road rash now on my right elbow.

Cal,

Be careful on the road... Holy cow bumps and bruises should come from your mountain biking not road riding.

I did a 200k randonee ride 2 weeks ago, had not done one for more than 10-15 years.

Joe

 

[Calzone]

Cal,

Be careful on the road... Holy cow bumps and bruises should come from your mountain biking not road riding.

I did a 200k randonee ride 2 weeks ago, had not done one for more than 10-15 years.

Joe

Joe,

I ended up unconverting the Ti IBIS from a 2x11 XTR mountain bike back into an urban 63 gear inch single speed. Pretty much a retrofit back to the bike you know.

Anyways I think better for rebuilding my base and for building strength. The hills on Washington Avenue are long and not as steep as the Harlem Hills in Central Park. Then I can turn off and head west towards the river and loop back towards my house.

It is a nice circuit that I can do as intervals. Pretty much the route back home is 9A through Montrose and Bucannon. To make up for the lack of gears I basically have to climb out of the saddle.

My spill the other day was due to a blind curve, a panic breaking, and an uncontrolled skid due to a car that surprised me.

I dropped off the Ti Basso at A.J.’s the small local bike shop. AJ formally raced professionally downhill. Today he does motorcycle enduro racing and motorcycle trials. Getting a new headset pressed in that I have two crown races for. The headset that currently is installed is a “short-stack” that uses a shorter crown race that I only have one of. Both are Chris King sealed bearing headsets that are bombproof.

The idea is to be able to convert from a rigid to a front suspension easily. I’m going back to the Newsboy with slicks again, but in the winter I will change the wheel set to fat tire so I can ride in the snow. The idea here is to be able to ride every day to be a strong rider.

Today AJ pulled out his trials bike because I asked him about the bike, water cooled 2 stroke, a 250cc. The bike has no seat. So he starts hopping around on the bike with the engine off. The bike weighs 140 pounds. Then he starts doing nose wheelies. AJ says that for him trials on a mountain bike is harder, he is pretty good on a mountain bike, but it also beats him up more.

So I just want to be the old guy who rides every day and is known at the local bike shops as being strong.

I have a tan from biking and from Austin.

I’m on the fence with becoming a model and working again. I turned down the gig once and then got snookered back, but having a grand kid in September is a conflict because “Maggie” thinks she is “Wonder Woman” and can handle being a writer, a babysitter, and a model.

I have become a caretaker of sorts who picks up the slack. Already the grand daughter alone is a handful…

Maggie volunteered to take care of the newborn, but let’s be real, how impossible would it be to be a serious creative, a caretaker, and an elite model? To me these are three serious commitments. Anyways something has to give.

BTW Maggie forgot about a commitment, a meeting in Denver. She flew to Denver from Austin and is expected to be home today. This is a crazy woman who gets hysterical and overwhelmed.

Anyways retirement kinda ended up being a lot of work.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

When was the last time you saw a skinny 150 pound guy using a 70 pound electric jackhammer? Anyways that was me today trying to be a Brooklyn tough guy. I rented a Hilti Jack hammer from Westchester Tool Rental, and pretty much had a time limit to return it under 4 hours for the half day discount.

Pretty much had to demo the remaining brick wall by the garage that I was able top demo with a sledge, but the base was too much for me.

The bricks and concrete are more clean landfill for the back-backyard. The brick wall will be replaced by a cedar fence that is kinda decorative. Peekskill has a really great lumber yard called Danes down by the train station. Pretty close to the masonry supply.

The trees are finally starting to flower. It is a very late spring.

Nice is that the tool rental place is about 3 blocks away, so I walked with a garden wagon, but it really was not needed because the jack hammer had its own hand truck. On my way home I saw that there was a depression and collection of sand in the place where I panic stoped and pancaked my bike. Oh-well.

Westchester Tool Rental also has sheet rock lifts for $42.00 a day rentals. No need to buy a lift.

The heart pine flooring for patching up under the sink since it is getting relocated was delivered today. I dug into getting a water softener and learned that I want a “salt-free” system, and for drinking water I can get a APEC Reverse Osmosis Water system for about $200.00 that would fit under the kitchen sink. Plumbing installation is extra, but pretty much I need a good TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) filter, about $1K—$1.5K, and a salt-free water system.

The Hudson Environmental system is an ion exchange system which uses salt. Also I think I not only will get a better system, but also save money.

For me this water softener is vital because I suffer from dry skin, also for health reasons.

I just had a late lunch, so back to work…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Today the wanna-be tough guy from Brooklyn was digging a 40 foot trench 30 inches deep to bury a root barrier in his war against the evil Knotweed. Still I have more to go, and then I have to do the other section to form a side barrier with the dead-end.

Right now I’m carmelizing a big batch of purple onions to add to stuffing. In the oven is what they call a turkey breast, but it is a whole turkey in my book without the legs and wings. Got it for free at Shop Rite by buying owner $400.00 worth of stuff in like a month.

The trick with carmelizing onions is use low heat. “Maggie” is so impatient that she kinda uses too high a heat which either burns things or kills the flavor. The opinions get sweet, and the flavor is mucho deep. Anyways I think being a good photographer spills over into cooking.

Tomorrow is Easter, and we will be having Killer Turkey sandwiches with a salad. I’m baking the turkey tonight, and I’m browning it first, then I’ll cover the turkey with foil to do the slow cooking that leaves it moist. Been in the oven an hour so far, but I want the skin to be darker for added contrast.

The German Thyme I grew from seed last year came back as a perineal so I used mucho forest thyme with olive oil to baste the turkey inside and out. I think using a convection ovens a difference.

I learned from Mary-Jane, an Italian, to boil the carcass to extract the meat for soup, but I saved this meat in the freezer, and I think I will make some over-the-top stuffing where I lace the stuffing with meat. At Thanksgiving I made two different stuffings, and it must of been great because people dug in and not much was left.

Tuesday the kitchen remodeling begins, as well as the powder room. I imagine we will be “glam ping” out in the house for a while, and things will get mighty hill-billy.

A lot of things and thoughts have evolved and changed. Now the plan is just to remodel the upstairs bath, and the smallest bedroom will be my office space instead of the bathroom annex, as well as increased closet space. Anyways this is kinda familiar and just like when I had my digital printing set up in the bedroom of a one-bedroom luxury apartment that was boobytrapped with women’s clothes, shoes, and hand bags. Know that the room is even smaller. LOL.

In Austin I talked with Karen a historical preservationist, and she recommended not increasing the footprint of the garage. EZ-PZ then to not get reaccessed and pay more in taxes. I’ll still have the new gabled attic and half the garage as a workspace. Now I’m thinking of having my darkroom in the garage and having plumbing performed. Hmmmm…

So “Maggie” wants to use the other big bedroom as her office. This bedroom has three windows facing the street/avenue, has wonderful light, and is bigger than the Baby-Victorian circular turret.

Pretty much the turret room will be a playroom for the Creature Junior (grand-daughter).

So no more “Conservatory with panoramic views… Oh-well, but now Maggie is thinking of me having two real workspaces, plus the basement.

I think I like having a bigger back-backyard anyways.

My neighbor had a landscaper come by to give an eval and estimate on building a retaining wall. The cost $80K, but also all the heavy equipment would destroy his backyard. Oh-well. Pretty much what the landscaper recommended was to save his money and add clean fill and mulch to stabilize any erosion. In my case I’m adding land.

I just covered the turkey with foil. About half way through the 3 hour bake. The house smells great, fried onions and baked turkey…

I am getting more muscular. Likely weight between 150-155 pounds. Remember muscle is more dense than fat.

Cal

 

[MrFujicaman]

Is the grand baby that's coming going to be "Creature V.2" ?

 

[Calzone]

Is the grand baby that's coming going to be "Creature V.2" ?

Already has a name, “The Critter.” Of course this is a code name used by only “Maggie” and I. In the past we also had a dog that was beloved by “The Creature.” We called the dog “The beast.”

Tomorrow we have to take care of the Creature Junior.

I have to go to Home Cheapo and get some bins to empty all the kitchen cabinets. Tuesday is a demo day. Pretty much only the “squatty potty” in the powder room is a keeper, and the original bathroom door, everything else gets gutted and disposed of.

Curious to see if my house has a vapor barrier. According to the building inspector I an just a few blocks away from the code requirement. If he is right no vapor barrier was ever installed.

I’m trying to pass on the Home Depo Specials (maple cabinets) so they get recycled and don’t go into some land fill. For my darkroom and studio I have all this ELFA hardware from The Container Store leftover from when I built a high rise in the one-bedroom in my Madhattan apartment. Kinda mucho crazy because I lived in 650 square feet for more than a decade.

So now we are already planning remodeling the skinny bathroom upstairs. We can fit a small claw-foot soaking tub that is shaped like a slipper. The double vanity though can be 72 inches long but has to be a narrow 20 inches. The double vanity is needed for storage. Very likely will have to have one custom made.

So if any contractor can do a remodel fast it is my contractor. She has a great crew of all licensed pro’s. We were told it should go fast, and we have everything on hand.

Today I laid out a 4x16 foot garden bed in the back-backyard against the garage, Technically it is within the boundary of the first building lot and still allows about a 6 foot buffer before the second 40x100 begins. Also started moving a brush pile on top of the hillside of mulch I created of collected leaves from the neighborhood. The chain link fence I installed as a barrier is becoming hidden.

It appears that the marsh grass is filling in where I removed Knotweed. Should backfill a ledge I created with a small retaining wall, then I have a 6 foot shelf that is level before the chain link fencing.

Maggies brother has two ten foot fig trees to gift to us. Not sure where I will plant them. I also have maturing Blueberry trees and bushes, as well as a raspberry bush that I somehow must contain. Last years growth will bare fruit this year.

So far no growth in the Red Oak acorns, nothing from the pollinator garden yet, no Morning Glories in the Back-Backyard, and no sprouting from the fragrant wild flowers spread on the “table” in the Back-Backyard. Still early, some trees are only beginning to flower and bloom, a very late-late spring this year.

We were back into the 40’s today. Warm then cold…

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Had to empty all the cabinets today for tomorrow’s demo of the kitchen and powder room. Filled 6 27 gallon totes, plus a spillover of dishes that now reside on the dining room table.

I guess the glamping in the house begins tomorrow. Feels like I’m buying a new house because a new kitchen will make a very big difference. One of the reasons why the Baby-Victorian languished on the market unloved was because the kitchen was/is awkward with no counter space, 5 doorways, and a very clumsy layout. Nothing lux, no dishwasher, and everything done cheaply.

In the end the extra time it took due to the pandemic actually added to better more thorough planning.

I guess tomorrow everything will get gutted.

I’m heading to the store for paper plates and plastic utensils.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

The gutting of the kitchen and bath began today. There is no kitchen sink, no cabinets, and pretty much I see some plaster, some lathe, some Sheetrock, and some full sized 2x4’s.

The Baby-Victorian has no vapor barrier and no wall insulation. According to the building inspector I am a few blocks away from a code change, and where I live a vapor barrier is not a requirement of the building code.

All the construction ruble was loaded into a van, and no dumpster was utilized.

Getting rolled over into the job is getting the electrical feed into the garage (100 amp service) changed from an Ariel feed into a subterranean feed underground. Currently it runs near our pergola, and I don’t want to see it.

Four Winter Gem Boxwoods were delivered a day early. Not as big as I expected, I ordered 3 gallon sized, but they seem very healthy and vigorous. Depending on “Woman-Factor” I might have to order more. They say these Boxwoods grow about 6 inches a year.

I already have a good vibe from this contractor, and I already can see feeding her more work. I showed her the bathroom upstairs that will be the next project and she recommended moving the tub, which opens up the bath a lot and is better utilization of space.

I showed Jason the carpenter the garage where I want to replace the hip roof with a gabled roof with an attic. Pretty much internal walls would likely be required to bolster up things structurally to support a bigger roof, but that works into the plan because I want to insulate and HVAC the space with a mini-split.

A new front porch door with sidelights is a one day job.

The kitchen now looks huge, the powder room also looks mammoth. Things are going along smoothly, and tomorrow is another day of demo, but this time with a bigger crew to deal with the plaster. The bathroom vanity is still operational, but not likely after tomorrow.

I was old the work should go quickly, but a lot depends on getting the required inspections done, and they are the bottlenecks.

No permit required for the new porch door.

Anyways I’m pretty excited.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

So retirement for me is like regressing back into childhood where life is about play and not work.

Today “Maggie” and I talked about how huge this modeling gig could become, and where we are comfortable. Seems my Lazy-Slacker training and my philosophy of enjoying a simple care free life has rubbed off on her. We decided that when the gig becomes “work” and is no longer “fun” then we need to throttle things back.

Maggie thinks that this gig will offer lots of free mostly international travel, but eventually lots of constant traveling becomes fatiguing. Also it is no fun when she returns exhausted, sick, or has to catch up on things that got neglected. We decided that since this was a “Snookering” that we basically initially refused, but got reeled in by a very good persuasive agent who said we will limit the marketing to us as a couple that this should limit things.

I won’t fall for the Ego-Trap of getting singled out for gigs, even though I think I would be a great model for sportswear and athletic clothing. Anyways if I do any solo gigs, then the gig would have to be lucrative enough to pay for Business Class flying, and accommodations that include Maggie. I don’t mind if this comes out of my account, I figure it might be a deduction to offset taxes, and it allows for a way to travel in a style we have grown accustomed to.

So our plan is to keep this gig fun and avoid where the gig becomes “work.” My worries is that this could become so lucrative though that we might not be able to leave the money on the table. This kinda work tends to spiral upwards and into becoming frenetically busy which is what I want to avoid.

I just want to bike everyday, really learn how to play guitar, and enjoy my home/studio and get back into printing again in a mucho crazy manner.

Seems the demo crew found out that the previous owner did everything to avoid taking down the plaster, which included applying sheet rock over plastered walls. I mentioned the powder room and the dining room as two areas that used wood strips to allow a tile ceiling to be installed. This ensured that the plaster ceilings were further compromised and doomed.

The demo job in a way is kinda double because at least the walls are both sheetrock and plaster.

The “Q” factor it seems are the inspections, but otherwise the work flow is speeding along. Three vans and three guys working on a 11x14 foot kitchen.

I ordered three more 3 gallon Boxwoods to form a privacy hedge around out small patio. Maggie ordered a table and seating for 6 for the patio made of some Asian hardwood called Arcadia that seems to be a lot like Teak in its weather resistance. The patio is kinda small and intimate.

I think Maggie ordered some climbing Roses for two corners of the pergola.

Meanwhile in my life things are a bit disrupted because of the kitchen and powder room remodeling, otherwise retirement is great. Looking forward to the next big project, the bathroom upstairs, and then the garage studio.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Call me a Drama Queen, but I see conflict in that I would like to be a loner, homeboy, anti-social, and pretty much just build a sanctuary and live in my tiny bunker/bubble, but then there is the big world drawing me out into the open in a very big way that might get scary, that likely puts me in the spotlight, and is not low key at all.

Anyways these two positions offer lots of contrast… It would be really easy to play it safe, but then again the excitement, the challenge, and the unknown…

“Maggie” framed it this way, “In a ways signing the contract is signing away part of one’s life.” Many rights get signed away and are controlled, but I might have to stipulate that my photography is not out of my control, and that I retain the rights to my photography.

Not sure my publishing here is cool once I sign a contract. Literary Rights are part of the contract. Also my role as a Drama Queen gets signed away with the Theatrical Rights.

Anyways, kinda exciting, but also could be reckless on the other hand. It is an odd place to be in.

My simple life just got complicated, and “I was just trying to mind my own business.”

Cal

 

[Austintatious]

Cal, If you have not already, you may want to have a Lawyer take a look at the "contract" before you sign anything. Especially creative aspects such as photography and literary (blogging) are concerned. Which you should most definitely retain for yourself. Just say'n 😀