We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:00:19 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification The Armorer's sister, who lurks here (and the fact that she does so is a vindication of The Rulez and your general demeanor as commenters) is doing what SWWBO and I are - her husband and she are getting a new place to live. The difference is, SWWBO and I being really lazy, we went and bought .02% of the county to do it. My sister and her family have entered Hell... a live-in remodel. I'll let her take it from here... Oh my. Although signs of impending disaster have been accumulating since early this week (a really large dumpster... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html Sat, 16 Jun 2007 06:31:31 -0600 Frontline no longer works on Florida fleas, or Georgia ones either, as the Sweetie advises. It's Advantage, or nuthin'. Advantage is made by Germans, Frontline by Frogs, I think. Who ya gonna trust when it comes to mean nasty poisons? The guys who invented Sarin, or the guys who invented Camenbert? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61259 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61259 Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:12:32 -0600 Well, my sister is doing a rather extensive remodel. They are essentially ripping out the back wall and extending the house 10 feet or so in that direction, along with a complete kitchen remodel, and replacing *all* the 40 year old windows. It's rather expansive. What we intend for our place is to remove a wall and extend the master suite into one of the small bedrooms, and to replace a window in the master suite with a door to the deck, to update the master bath, and build the Vault of Argghhh! in the basement, so that the basement essentially turns into a walk-in gun safe/museum. Nothing at all like my sister is doing. Well, there's also the stall-construction in the barn, and the creation of the Tack Room of Argghhh! and the Workshop of Argghhh! out in that 50x70 barn... Heh. The *horses* will have more space than we do... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61237 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61237 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 20:56:52 -0600 got to show my wife this post...]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61235 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61235 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 19:08:51 -0600 Depends, Dusty. She might well be in the "misery loves company" mode right now... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61231 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61231 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 11:10:25 -0600 Muuuuuwaaahahahahahaaa! After 2 months of sleeping on the floor downstairs, my wife and daughter are now sleeping in their own beds in a newly remodeled upstairs. Me? I bailed--timed the MD-11 upgrade perfectly, spending most of my time at the crash pad in Memphis or the hotel in Anchorage taking classes and flying the sim. It always "happens" when man-child deploys, eh, ladies? That said, I was there for the strategic "discussions" with the contractor and came and went enough times to provide the Alpha Male vs. Alpha Male stare-downs, so to speak, when necessary. Fortunately, that wasn't needed very often 'cause our worker team was 99% Amish (sans beards and wide brimmed hats), were mostly related to one another in some way (made for better comms), and were fiercely proud of their workmanship. It "hurt so good" as it were, putting up with the inconvenience but watching an old house with an old layout be transformed into a really nice place (upstairs at least...gotta make Captain for the kitchen/downstairs project, heh). That, plus the complete reinforcement of the roof and rewiring throughout the upstairs, built-in cabinets, desk and TV corner in the new office and new shower/commode/heated floor in the master bedroom. Like a skillfully done root canal, trust me, it's worth the pain in the long run. BTW, didn't she mean "upwind"? -Instapilot http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61230 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61230 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:49:56 -0600 In my youngaer days, when I was under the care of the nuns, who strived mightily to save my heathen soul, I was taught that for those who sinned enough to keep them from an immediate entry into Heaven, but not enough to merit eternal damnation, there was a special place called Purgatory where you paid for those sins. I found that they were right. You find Purgatory here on Earth and it begins the day the congractor shows up to begin any remodelling job. And it goes on. and on, and on. The punishment NEVER finishes when promised. There are ALWAYS "unexpected delays" that stretch ad nauseum. And, when the contractor finally says the job is finished we give a great sigh of releief and swear that we will NEVER go through that again. But we humans are weak, and the body has little memory for pain. And so we fall back into our sinfull ways, and then one day it is again payback time, and one of you turns to the other and says "Don't you think it's about time we got a contractor in here and .....?" My condolences to both of you. Marine6 Sends http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61229 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61229 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:08:00 -0600 I think your Mom's spirit is showing in how well both of you find humor in the challenges ... Good for you, Sis :-) And I concur with John that your writing is just fine. I don't envy you the remodeling -- good luck, and any time you want to share the trials and tribulations, the Denizens will be happy to know what we're missing! Having built a house, while living in another, I can say with certainty that it's a frustrating process in general. Watching it done to the house while you live in in -- yow! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61228 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/06/this_is_too_fun.html#comment-61228 Sat, 16 Jun 2007 09:39:48 -0600