New York August NYC Meet-Up 2021

My next-door neighbor saw me walking with my new backpack last week and thought there was a new kid in the neighborhood, but then realized it was me. Pretty much my body is like a muscular 15-16 year old. “Maggie” says I’m too skinny.

I was handling my cameras over the past few days, exercising them, checking the batteries on the digitalis, and reconfiguring them. I put on the neck strap from my old SL (digital) on my SL2-MOT with the 50 Lux “E60.” I also was admiring the black MD2 with the 21/3.4-“R” Super Agulon that I want to show to Snarky Joe. It is a “Monster” of a camera, but also clever because it is a way to have a vintage SA 21 for no money. It has mucho style in a “Calzone” way.

So I counted, and I have nine Leica, three are digital (SL2, SL and MM); four M-Bodies (M3, M4, M6, and MD-2); one LTM (nickel Leica II black paint with nickel 50/3.5 Elmer); and the SL2-MOT.

All of these are great cameras, and I’m mucho glad I have them. Also pretty much today it would be mucho costly to replace or attain them.

I wonder what is going on with Leica. My SL2 I would consider an old camera, it is still being made and sold, but it is due for a n update or revision.

Then I have my collection of medium format cameras which include my prized Linhofs, my Plaberl 69W Proshift, and my Whiteface Rollieflex.

Anyways call me a pagan, but I guess my experience is a form of camera worship. I do treasure these hard earned items, and I feel very lucky to own them.

There is a delayed gratification going on right now as the house is kinda being assembled and being put together, but the return into photography will have its vengeance and a strong comeback.

BTW did you know that Vanessa, our agent in London, also represents photographers. She just signed a transgendered guy and got him 4 gigs. I don’t want the work, but an exhibition would be nice. Vanessa is not a gallerist.

Cal
 
From Blue Mountain Bike Fest: https://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=WOcTHMFr2w

https://gopro.com/v/G1Q761onZQWnW

On the second video one of the two bikes we let pass said, “A rigid, that’s tough.”

Pretty much I rode my brakes to avoid crashing or doing endo’s on my period correct Ti rigid bike that perhaps weighed 22 pounds. The full suspension bikes I rode with were 30 pounders plus.

I believe I was the only person at Blue Mountain with a full rigid. Ran the tires around 24-25 PSI. Was able to get away with that because I’m a skinny bitch.

BTW A.J. (The slower paced video) is a road and gravel rider new to mountain biking. He was riding with a fractured wrist.

Cal
 
Cal, it looks like you had the right idea with a lightweight ride and minimal gear. The folks in a lot more kit with 30+lb bikes were suffering. BTW, the youtube link is gone.
Also fix those squealing brakes!

Phil Forrest
 
Phil_F_NM said:
Cal, it looks like you had the right idea with a lightweight ride and minimal gear. The folks in a lot more kit with 30+lb bikes were suffering. BTW, the youtube link is gone.
Also fix those squealing brakes!

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

Phil,

These guys on the long bikes with suspension could not log hop, or muscle up big obstacles. I also tried A.J.s bike which was the lightest at 30 pounds. It felt sluggish.

I was surprised how much better my bike climbed, but the descents is where I took mucho beating.

I am known for my squealing brakes, kind of a trademark of sorts, kinda loud and annoying like a horn. Seems like my trademark still works annoying people.

The bike I was riding was the Ti Basso with a Koski rigid fork from back in the day. Thanks to you I loaded up with 11 speed XTR on close out when Shimano announced 12 speed. The wheels are Mavic CrossMax that are UST and tubeless Schwable 2.35 Rocket Rons, otherwise the bike is all retro trick parts from back in the day.

The brakes that squeal extra loud are Graftons, the front brake is a very rare magnesium version that is now all pitted.

The guys struggling up the hills were guys that were “Clydesdales” and not skinny bitches like me.

I ordered two White Industry rear Hubs on February 10th. Still waiting… These hubs are to build out the IBIS’s with 24 inch wheels. The IBIS’s are hyper aggressive and their handling can be called twitchy.

Interesting to note how much I’m out of the saddle or behind the saddle, even though I don’t use a dropper seat post. I tend to stand a lot on a mountain bike I think because of riding IBIS’s. Also know I clip in (SPD’s).

Know that I don’t mind riding slow and not going gonzo. For me there is enough challenge staying clipped in and cleaning rocky climbs.

I think riding an IBIS slow and picking lines will be my style. Know that the IBIS because of its Trials geometry has an inch longer fork, so it is suspension ready. I have a tricked out rebuilt Rock Shox Judy with a 1 1/8 steerer, and I’ll use a 2.35 tire on the front.

The Basso did well in the snow at Blue Mountain with its longer wheelbase and relaxed geometry.

Cal
 
Cal,
That trail looked like a nice, fast singletrack with a bit of technical, nothing too hairy though. Anyway, a while back I gave my buddy who works at a shop a set of White Industries hubs and the rear needed a freehub body. My buddy has connections with White and said that there is basically nothing available from the company right now; no spare parts, no new parts, nothing. You might want to go with a different company that has better support, like Chris King or DT, if you want the high-zoot stuff.
Me, I'm going with a bombproof Shimano M525A, which is LX level. In the XT level, they made the freehub body weaker (and alloy), and after a season plus some minor shock loading, the freehub bodies are known to fail, leaving you with a bike that won't pedal at all. The LX level M525A has the old school steel freehub body with the standard 10mm Allen key collar. It also has well sealed ball bearings, with cup/cone adjustment, not cartridge bearings in the XT which are press fit into the hub shell. I'm all about reliability and adjustability these days. Redundancy as well. The M525A has a 6 bolt ISO fitting for a disk brake which I'm going to fix a track cog to, so if I destroy a derailleur or freehub body, I'll just flip my wheel around, shorten the chain and I'll be riding a fixed gear until I can get a repair. this is on a bike that I intend on riding from the Atlantic to the Pacific, so getting back to basics and having built in redundancy is what I'm going for.

With your Grafton brakes, they are twisting and allowing the pads to rub parallel to the rim, like a violin bow bending around strings under higher tension. If you toe the brake pads in a lot, you should be able to get rid of the squeal. You can also fight it by getting a set of Kool Stop salmon pads. In the end, those brakes are just going to fail since you say they have pitting. Magnesium and aluminum don't like those repeated torsional forces and will eventually snap. At that time, hope you're not on a downhill or in traffic. Then shop for some forged Shimano XT M737 cantilevers (or a set of Suntour XC Pros which are my favorite brakes ever, with the most adjustability ever put into a cantilever). I remember giving folks the bad news about their ancient Cannondale frames where the anodizing had been scratched down by the bottom bracket shell and if any northeast road salt has gotten in there, I could take a stiff toothbrush and literally brush away the weld and part of a chainstay. This is a known problem on 20+ year old Cannondales, but also many aluminum alloy bikes which weren't painted. I loved the old CNC stuff but thee days I want reliability over bling and weight savings. I was joking with my shop friends that I have become the old man that I used to complain about when I was a young mechanic.

Phil Forrest
 
Phil_F_NM said:
Cal,
That trail looked like a nice, fast singletrack with a bit of technical, nothing too hairy though. Anyway, a while back I gave my buddy who works at a shop a set of White Industries hubs and the rear needed a freehub body. My buddy has connections with White and said that there is basically nothing available from the company right now; no spare parts, no new parts, nothing. You might want to go with a different company that has better support, like Chris King or DT, if you want the high-zoot stuff.
Me, I'm going with a bombproof Shimano M525A, which is LX level. In the XT level, they made the freehub body weaker (and alloy), and after a season plus some minor shock loading, the freehub bodies are known to fail, leaving you with a bike that won't pedal at all. The LX level M525A has the old school steel freehub body with the standard 10mm Allen key collar. It also has well sealed ball bearings, with cup/cone adjustment, not cartridge bearings in the XT which are press fit into the hub shell. I'm all about reliability and adjustability these days. Redundancy as well. The M525A has a 6 bolt ISO fitting for a disk brake which I'm going to fix a track cog to, so if I destroy a derailleur or freehub body, I'll just flip my wheel around, shorten the chain and I'll be riding a fixed gear until I can get a repair. this is on a bike that I intend on riding from the Atlantic to the Pacific, so getting back to basics and having built in redundancy is what I'm going for.

With your Grafton brakes, they are twisting and allowing the pads to rub parallel to the rim, like a violin bow bending around strings under higher tension. If you toe the brake pads in a lot, you should be able to get rid of the squeal. You can also fight it by getting a set of Kool Stop salmon pads. In the end, those brakes are just going to fail since you say they have pitting. Magnesium and aluminum don't like those repeated torsional forces and will eventually snap. At that time, hope you're not on a downhill or in traffic. Then shop for some forged Shimano XT M737 cantilevers (or a set of Suntour XC Pros which are my favorite brakes ever, with the most adjustability ever put into a cantilever). I remember giving folks the bad news about their ancient Cannondale frames where the anodizing had been scratched down by the bottom bracket shell and if any northeast road salt has gotten in there, I could take a stiff toothbrush and literally brush away the weld and part of a chainstay. This is a known problem on 20+ year old Cannondales, but also many aluminum alloy bikes which weren't painted. I loved the old CNC stuff but thee days I want reliability over bling and weight savings. I was joking with my shop friends that I have become the old man that I used to complain about when I was a young mechanic.

Phil Forrest
Click to expand...

Phil,

Thanks for the smut on White Industries. I think I will cancel my order after 4 months of waiting.

Also know that I have the steel IBIS set up as a 31 inch gear Trials bike. The bike is built with Rhyno-Lite wheels straight 16 gauge with brass nipples, the IBIS fork is for a tandem, and the Middleburn cranks with “Trials-Guard” bash ring are made for Trials duty. Heavy ISIS 4 bearing steel BB, Chris King headset.

The point being is I no longer need a second rear hub, and all I need is a hub for the Ti IBIS to convert it to a 1x11 or 2x11 from a 63.69 gear inch road single speed with Kodak slicks. Pretty much I ride single speed around Peekskill which means climbing and a strength workout. My friend A.J. The retired Pro NORBA racer, says road riding is what made him a great mountain bike racer. I kinda agree, and single speed adds a layer of difficulty.

I don’t have your lung capacity and VO2 Max, but because I’m a skinny bitch I have a high strength to weight ratio. Anyways this is my edge, and pretty much I’m about climbing and acceleration, and they are my assets.

I can tell that Trials skills would be a great thing to develop, and pretty much I have a great bike for that, as well as a playground to practice.

The Ti IBIS currently is a 17 pound single speed with a hyper short 40 inch wheelbase, short chain stays, and has internally butted Ti tubing that Gary Helfrick developed for the IBIS Ti Mojo in the early to mid 90’s. On top of that I have documentation from “Chuck IBIS” (Scot) that suggests it likely is a one-off prototype.

I had Steve Pots make a IBIS type 2 fork, and I have the aforementioned rebuilt trickled out Rock Shox Judy, so the bike is easily converted from an urban single speed to a front suspension 1x11 or 2x11. The geometry on an IBIS Mountain Trials includes a long fork for a front wheel that is easy to lift, so basically it has the geometry for a suspension, even though the Mountain Trials pre-dates suspensions. How cool is that? Anyways for climbing and acceleration the Ti IBIS seems especially tailored for me.

I figure with a 2.35 front tire (tubeless) and 2.1 rear that the Ti IBIS with a front suspension will weigh about 22-23 pounds. Pretty much a weight weenie bike. I’m considering a Chris King hub, but the freewheel is kinda loud. LOL.

At this point the Ti IBIS built out as a mountain bike with a front suspension could end up being lighter that the Ti Basso as a rigid.
Know that the 24 inch rims are welded, not pinned, 36 hole BMX racing rims. Mucho bombproof.

Cal
 
Been staining the powder room and basement doors (new) and the trim. In a craftsman style house the trim is big, bold and oversized when compared to a modern house. Back in the day the natural wood would of been shown off by stain and not paint.

The original moldings were ruined by painting, and since the color painted was white it has a high probability of having lead which was used as pigment. I did try stripping an original door, but the eco-safe new strippers are kinda lame working.

Now we are in the process of replacing all the moldings to make the house safe for the grand kids.

Matching the doors to clear pine moldings is not so straight forward, than it gets complicated due to “Maggie” factor who is rather particular. It never is easy to please a very fussy woman.

Still waiting for the countertops which are the bottleneck. Looks like perhaps Thursday…

Cal
 
Thursday my carpenter will be coming. The powder room pocket door is stained and ready to be installed. A new tile floor has to be put down (bathroom), and more moldings need to be installed.

The doorways I stained look great. Today we got the final electrical inspection. The electrical inspector says that shortages are getting worse and it is taking longer and longer to get work done.

I got notice that the appliances will be delivered Friday.

The kitchen looks mighty good, but still no counters.

My plan is to utilize the open building permit to do further house remodeling. I figure inflation will be a long term problem, and getting the home improvements done pronto will in the end save me money. Still lots of work to do.

We stopped at our local lumber yard that has been around for 174 years. We are pricing out a new door for the front enclosed porch along with two side-lites. Pretty much a custom wood door with insulated glass with a “prairie” design. Lead time is 21 weeks so figure we can install the door in November. How crazy is that? Anyways this is the world we live in and I don’t see how the economy is growing because the delays, shortages, and getting any job done is counter to productivity.

Pretty much a distortion in time since it seems like “productivity” no longer counts.

On my to do list is getting installed pull-down attic stairs to gain access because the hatch in the upstairs bathroom is mucho lame. Closed cell foam insulation blown in, and then I can build out a large walk in closet. Also this allows space for a large ducted air handler to have HVAC for the entire second floor via another mini-split. The idea is still to have oil for my domestic hot water and for January and February as a backup and secondary heating system.

Jack HVAC says it is best to use the mini-splits year round.

I think I want to replace the garage roof myself this summer.

The upstairs bath is next for my contractor, but first I need all the materials in hand…

Cal
 
Cal, although we've not met, after 53 pages I feel confident saying:
"You are the most energetic man I've ever met!"
I get worn out just reading your "to do" list!
 
Canyongazer said:
Cal, although we've not met, after 53 pages I feel confident saying:
"You are the most energetic man I've ever met!"
I get worn out just reading your "to do" list!
Click to expand...

CG,

Back in the day I was misdiagnosed as a Manic Depressive. I was in my early 30’s when my body could not take the abuse. At that time I had problems sleeping. Pretty much I cycled from exhilaration and euphoria into vast depressions, but the cause was anxiety and PTSD.

I knew a lot of violence growing up in the Vietnam era looking like the enemy. The first thing I learned in kindergarten as how to fight, and by third grade I was good at it. To make things worse I lived in the Lilly white suburbs of Lawn-Guy-Land and pretty much was the only minority.

Pretty much in my early thirties I had to learn to relax or I would die. BTW Prozac made me mucho crazy aggressive, I was always an extreram type “A” personality, and with only one dose of Prozac I was ready to kill people. Lithium sucked the life out of me and made me feel dead.

My friend Iron Mike literally saved my life by getting me hooked on Mountain Biking. Know that I have an addictive personality, so for a few years I was a bike bum where I lived to bike.

I escaped poverty, not an easy task, and my dad was an illegal immigrant who was illiterate who had a rather brutal life. I can describe poverty as a form of punishment that is everyday. Not everyone can escape poverty, I was lucky.

So back in the day I was really skinny like a drug addict, but I was not on drugs. I paced, and jumped around a lot, and pretty much people were scared of me. I can see why my friend and coworker “Zingo” thought I would be a great Navy SEAL. Zingo was a SEAL during the Vietnam Era.

Interesting to note that at Grumman I worked with many Vets, they had a military preference in their hiring policy. One of my co-workers and friend kinda confessed to me war crimes he performed in Vietnam. The stories of throwing out prisoners out of helicopters are true.

Anyways growing up I had rage and anger issues, and I learned early on that I had to process that anger or it would lead to depression if subdued. In art school I learned to process that anger, and my anxious jumpy behavior and thinking became an asset which displayed vast creativity and insights.

Retirement for me is a busy time of my life. I worked day-jobs for 40 years to finally have the life of an artist where I basically have the freedom to do what I want.

BTW if I dyed my sideburns which are peppered with grey and dyed my arrogant chin beard which is almost all white I could pass for 40, but I still have the body of a muscular 15-16 year old that still has not grown into a man.

Interesting to note that while at Grumman, (17 years) pretty much I was an “operator” like a Navy SEAL who operated covertly within a Fortune 500 Company. If I needed parts, I knew where to steal them, I knew many of the 30K employees, and I could get anything done. My boss loved me because I got the job done.

At Brookhaven National Labs my boss wrote on my review that I was like an “One-man Army of Technicians.”

Cal
 
Been obsessed with this Chevy 292 Ci I-6. This engine is a torque monster low RPM engine that displaces 4.8 liters.

It is kind of exciting because I currently have a 250 Ci I-6 that has a displacement of 4.1 liters.

Both engines are OEM to my 1966 C-10, the bore is the same on both engines, the cylinder head is the same on both engines, but the deck height of the 292 is much higher because of a longer stroke to create the larger displacement. Know that the 292 because of its additional height was only offered in trucks and farm equipment.

So I learned that the intake, exhaust, and the cylinder head will transfer from an initial 250 Ci buildup (250 Ci I-6 is the current OEM engine) and valve job can easily be recycled into a future 292 buildup.

Pretty much HEI electronic ignition, Holley Sniper Fuel Injection, intake manifold, and cast iron headers can be recycled.

I love that I can spend my money once, yet I can recycle everything. I need to get this book: “Chevrolet Inline Six-Cylinder Power Manual,” by Leo Santucci, to really geek out. How cool is that I can perform a resto-mod using OEM/factory/period correct upgrade.

The 250 is more economical, but the 292 is the stump-puller.

How cool is it that I have this level of versatility?

Cal
 
from Calzone

Nope...you have freedom to do what Lyn wants done! LOL!

(Retirement for me is a busy time of my life. I worked day-jobs for 40 years to finally have the life of an artist where I basically have the freedom to do what I want.-Calzone)
 
MrFujicaman said:
from Calzone

Nope...you have freedom to do what Lyn wants done! LOL!

(Retirement for me is a busy time of my life. I worked day-jobs for 40 years to finally have the life of an artist where I basically have the freedom to do what I want.-Calzone)
Click to expand...

MFM,

Right now I would say that’s true, but I am both clever and shrewd (I think).

Perhaps in the end I get what I want, meanwhile the house is becoming more and more valuable. I intend on continuing this trend with the garage, the attic, new master bedroom (actually connecting the tower room with the front bedroom via French Doors to create a new master bedroom).

I’ll get the old master bedroom as a studio for the Juki commercial sewing machine and my Jersey Barrier (Epson 7800).

A free couch that is also a bed is being delivered soon. Pretty much I don’t know if it will fit up the stairs. “Maggie” got it as part of a payment for some gig that was an inclusive video. Let’s see how this plays out. LOL. This is a good example of how she makes life hard for other people, the people delivering the couch.

Worse case is that the enclosed front porch gets a couch/bed. “Oh-well,” said Calvin-August the Hill-Billy.

Anyways, Hill-Billy Calvin-August has a 1966 C-10 “Rat-Rod” that he will put on the road next year. “E-Ha,” I say.

No carpenter today, but tomorrow the quartz countertops get delivered, as well as the appliances. The powder room floor, the stove backsplash, the pocket door on the powder room, and the newly stained basement door will get reinstalled. More moldings will have to be installed and stained.

I laugh how my neighbor thought there was a new kid on the block, but then discovered it was only me. LOL. Pretty much I have been on a “No kitchen diet.” I imagine after the kitchen gets done I’ll be able to exercise, bike ride, and bulk up a bit.

My tan is mighty dark. I think I can pass for Latino. You know the type: Tall, dark, and conceded. LOL.

My dead end neighbors are a retired couple, but it is like the investment book: Rich Dad: Poor Dad; except Rich House: Poor House. Pretty much our neighbors are in a unsustainable bind and don’t have money for a new roof. Likely the house is already water damaged, and who knows if mold has taken hold. Pretty much every bad decision they made. Didn’t have to be that way: She was a RN at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, and he was a union electrician.

Anyways I think the end is near for them, and I’m concerned about what will happen to their house. Their two car garage with hip roof like mine already has a roof that is caving in. Inside the garage is an abandoned Japanese car that is not running. Anyways there is a lot of contrast between our house and our dead end neighbor’s. One is being loved and cherished, and the other left to rot neglected.

Cal
 
It was suppose to be a delayed launch in November, but things are stirring on the modeling front. Seems like an international luxury brand somehow knew Vanessa is now “Maggie’s” agent. How did this happen? We only signed last week. I guess the world is not that big.

This international brand wanted to get Maggie for a gig, but Vanessa had to tell them Maggie is not going solo anymore and that we are being marketed as a couple. Anyways they like the idea.

Had to send a short bio. We also have to take head-to-toe shots front, side and rear. Does not have to be dressy, jeans and a solid t-shirt is fine. All this is ASAP.

Maggie is annoyed by the distraction. Understand that she has a book to write by October. Also our grandson will be born in September, and the house…

I still have to mask and stain the bathroom window trim. I did get to the thresholds that my carpenter made from heart pine flooring that I secured that was not needed for patching. The thresholds match the flooring, which is really-really cool considering how heart pine flooring is no longer available. My lumber was reclaimed lumber that was recycled. Stained and Poly to match the floors.

So now we are into the fine details. My art school background is handy for masking and getting a “hard edge” between the moldings that are stained and the paint on the walls. I love a clean hard edge, but this takes mucho time and great care that any contractor cannot afford to do. The hard edges make things visually pop and lines are sharper and cleaner.

The clear pine moldings are stained a dark-dark brown, but upon a closer look you see the grain through a translucent finish. When the light hits the molding there is depth and fine detail. The dark wood makes a time of a bygone era. Something very earthy about the landscape indicated in all the wood. Understand that the moldings are wide, oversized, and bold to really frame the windows and doorways. There is drama of sorts.

”Maggie” did her research, and the paint color (green) is not modern, and the dark brown stain is kinda heavy, but the cabinets are a bright yellow. Kinda interesting the balance of old and new and how it all plays out.

The draw pulls, the door knobs, and the electrical switch plates are all oiled bronzed which is retro/vintage.

So for real the carpenter will be coming tomorrow. He has not seen the electrical fixtures installed, nor my detailing.

The counter top was suppose to be in the morning, but now it will be in the afternoon. I’ll have the counter top (quartz) and the sink installed. The double kitchen window can be trimmed in after the countertop and sink are installed.

This kitchen is taking a long time, but it certainly will be a very pretty kitchen that I’m proud of. Remember that this was a house that was not turnkey that no one loved. Maggie and I saw the potential. This is turning into a mighty cute house.

The Powder Room has this repo retro sink that hangs on the wall with a built in backsplash like a miniature slop sink, but it also has this beautiful “Bridge Facet” with porcelain levers for the hot and cold water. The scale of the sink is tiny at 17 inches wide. I kinda had a hussy fit because I wanted to keep the retro toilet that I call the “Squatty Pottie” because it is small and low to the ground.

Instead of building a closet to store the vacuum and cleaning supplies we have this tall 100 year old wardrobe that I secured from Rosemary the dominatrix. Yes I kinda had to ask if she was the whipper or the whippee. The size of the wardrobe is as if we first bought the wardrobe and then designed the powder room around it.

So the kitchen is kinda resto-mod. The quarter sawn heart pine floor I rescued is also a trophy of sorts. To have the original 1912 floors in the hallway, living room (parlor), and dining room (entire first floor excluding powder room) is just plain spectacular.

Also I kinda learned from the floor guy how to refinish my floors when needed. Pretty much they scuff the Poly finish and then just add a coat of new poly. My floor guy gave me 1/3 of a gallon of the satin Poly he used, and also a bit of the stain he used to accentuate and darken the kitchen floor. EZ-PZ.

I also learned from my carpenter how to make replacement moldings. I’ll be getting rid of all the moldings that are painted white. High-high probability of lead paint. EZ-PZ.

So call me OCD, but my photography professor called me out in art school. He said you have real talent and are truly gifted, but you rush around at the last minute. Surely you can do better than that. Pretty much, no compromise, don’t cheap out, and take the time to really do something impressive, even if its only to impress yourself.

He gave me great advice. The world if full of mediocrity, and what is life without meaning? To spin off my friend Eddie-Jeff’s words, “Who wants to be extra-medium?” LOL.

So Maggie is mighty fussy, but she deserves lots of credit here because she went way OCD in designing this kitchen. Lots of period correct details and history in the design that makes for a cohesive statement between the old and new, like I said, “Resto-Mod.”

Anyways pretty much for both of us the kitchen displays lots of passion. Not just a kitchen to us anymore, but really a major accomplishment.

Cal
 
Been a busy day. Our carpenter came by and installed a tile floor for the powder room. Two guys came by and installed the quartz countertops, They had to cut off part of a cast iron sink for clearance, a mucho ugly job that required use of a die grinder with a cutoff wheel.

A surprise visit from the electricians to add a Edison receptacle for the hood to satisfy the electrical inspector.

I ended up fitting a saddle for the kitchen to dining room transition. Made of quarter sawn heart pine it matches the floors. Also fitted the mini-split air handler ceiling cover, and the oiled bronze bridge facet for the kitchen sink.

Cal
 
robert blu said:
It seems me with your retirement a very busy time started ! Isn’t it cool?
Click to expand...

Robert,

Who would think that retirement would be hard work. I don’t mind because the rewards are great. Pretty much I reap the benefits of my sweat, I’m not wasting my time, and pretty much I kinda do what I want.

Seems like more projects are lining up: darkroom, digital studio, music room, 1966 Chevy C10…

Then there is my part time gig as a model.

The appliances get delivered Monday. “Maggie” went crazy and bought these high end Italian Stainless Steel appliances. I would think the plumber will come by sometime next week also, and then we will have a working kitchen. I never want to do this again, but I’m glad that we did a ”one and done.” We did not cheap-out, and we built a kitchen that has “legs.” We should be good for a few decades.

Tomorrow we will be shopping for the upstairs bathroom renovation to get that going. Should go faster and be easier than the kitchen.

I also have a plan for my Chevy C-10 “Rat-Rod” where I have a two stage development. Stage 1 is Resto-Mod and update for economy, reliability, and safety. Then Stage 2 would be changing the 250 cubic inch I-6 to the 292 cubic inch I-6 which is the “stump-puller.” Pretty much I can recycle all of my mods and upgrades to the bigger I-6 (292 Ci or 4.8 liter).

EZ-PZ. Idea is to spend my money once.

Cal
 
jsrockit said:
But, the real question is... where is snarky Joe?
Click to expand...

John,

Snarky Joe I’m sure is working. He is not retired yet.

I kinda understand now what it is like to work for yourself. Very different than having a day-job.

I can tell you that retirement for me is mucho rich and satisfying. I’m glad I saved and sacrificed for decades. I did not waste money, and I bought things to keep.

Three good things happened because of Covid: we bought a house in Peekskill; I lost about 15 pounds; and I retired early at the age of 63. I kinda love the freedom I have every day, I work hard, but I’m also relaxed.

I’m obsessing over the kitchen, its 10:30 PM and I’m cleaning off the dust to get ready to fill the custom cabinets and draws. I set up the internal shelves in the cabinets. The cabinets and draws are “Maggie-Proof” meaning they self close and pretty much can’t be slammed. Another nice feature is that the draws open fully instead of only 2/3rds.

Tomorrow we will order the new front enclosed porch door along with side lites, and also a new rear kitchen door made of wood. In the craftsman era they used lots of natural materials like stone and wood. This new rear exit should be just a standard door, but knowing Maggie she will likely make it into a custom door. We need a wooden door so I can gel stain it to match the moldings.

With 5 doors the kitchen is the hub of the house. The layout is such that a wide passage allows traffic to flow in all directions without congestion. Kind of an open design that is simple.

Anyways I love my house because each room is kinda special and spectacular in one way or another. 40 windows on a 1400-1500 square foot house is a lot. The orange light of the golden hours makes for pretty light. The canopy of the 100 year old Japanese Maple hovers like a red cloud from the Tower Room (Maggie’s office). This Tower Room will eventually be part of the Master Bedroom separated but a set of French Doors.

Then I’ll have an 11x14 foot studio that was the former master bedroom. The attic I will make into a large walk-in closet. I need to order that pull down staircase.

Cal
 
I’m still about, but somewhat underwater with work. COVID really impacted my getting out and shooting. There was little breaks between meetings and site visits and it gave me an chance to shoot. The whole Zoom work model has me doing back to back to back meetings and at first seemed to be a good thing into a bit of a nightmare. And supply chain issues, chip shortages, have had a huge impact on getting projects done. Managing what you can do with what you can get takes a huge block of time every day.

Joe
 
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