Powder room update

Big changes this past week. I told my contractor that I wanted a usable bathroom by Sunday for Apple Fest. That meant getting the toilet and sink installed and functioning. To accomplish this the walls needed to be drywalled ,painted and the electrical finished.

The carpenter came on Monday to install the drywall and the first coat of mud. I picked up the light fixture that I had ordered.

Though the room is small it still has four corners and four walls. It is tricky to maneuver inside the small space so mudding the drywall was not an easy task. Dave finished the first coat on Monday. When he arrived Tuesday morning, the mud was still not completely dry. We put a fan on it and he came back in the afternoon to do the final coat.

I kept a fan on it all night. Dave came back Wednesday and gave the go ahead for priming...that was my job. I got the priming done by late morning. It took longer than I thought because again it is just so tricky maneuvering in the small space. The ceiling is 9 feet so a little later is necessary.

Dave came back to do a little touch up and then I painted. All this to be ready for Thursday morning electrician and plumber.

The electrician arrived early Thursday and installed the light fixture, outlet and dimmer for the light. The plumber arrived later in the morning. The in-wall tank and floating toilet were new fixtures for the plumber. But he was able to figure it out with the provided instructions.

The plumber also installed the sink and faucet. He picked up on my comment on the plastic pipe and went out to get a metal p-trap and drain. I really appreciated his attention to this. There is not going to be a vanity of any kind so the pipes are exposed. The metal looks so much better.

So everything needed to make the room function as a bathroom was completed on Thursday. I was able to paint the radiator after the plumber was finished.

Now just waiting for the flooring to come in. The floor is a vinyl floating floor material and special order from Home Depot. Once the floor is in, the carpenter will come back to re-install the door molding and install new baseboard. There are a couple of touch-ups needed from the plumber's work.

It is impossible to get decent photo of the powder room because it is so small.

Toilet wall drywalled.

TaDa! Walls painted, toilet and sink installed, and electrical done.

The fantastic light fixture.

Apple Fest

Beautiful weather and beautiful friends and neighbors.

It really was a perfect day to be outside. The apples are about two weeks behind this year. I believe there are as many apples as last year but the majority are smaller. And this year the squirrels have gone to town picking and nibbling on many apples. I have been finding them all over and apparently so have my neighbors.

I spent most of Saturday baking and prepping food. It was fun working my assembly line of pie, cake, salsa, lil' smokies, slaw, etc.

There were new attendees as well as tried and true friends. Bunny brought 'a game' that the neighbor boys helped create rules for. Kay encouraged another round of apple bobbing with thanks to Amy for the tub. Dave brought the cutest apple 'dentures' and they were very tasty.

The Vikings' game was at the same time as the party so I set up my tv in the garage. It worked great.

Many neighbors dropped by. I got to meet the new guys from next door and to know more about neighbors I haven't had the opportunity to.

Kay's successful bob.

Me kind of cheating.

Dave's apple dentures.

Dave with his apple dentures.

Michelle, Jon, Amy and Molly watching Vikings' game.

Apple pie - secret is that this was made from last year's frozen apples with a few fresh ones added.

Lil' Smokies wrapped in bacon with brown sugar and apple slices. This was the favorite dish.

Kelly's Best Apple Cake recipe cake. This is also a crowd favorite.

My apple slaw. I like how refreshing this is.

Frankie (and Uno) update

Frankie jumped up on the newl post for the first time in a long time. He's also been running around. After a bad few days after I got back from Spring Green, Frankie is doing well.

Frankie and Uno were very upset when I came home last Sunday after a weekend away. With their automated feeder, the two have always been fine with my being away for a few days. Apparently those days are over.

It looked like neither of them ate while I was out. And when I got home, they were both very upset and wouldn't even eat treats.

That has passed and both are eating well. Uno has even been playing and spent a couple of nights in my bedroom with me.

Athletic weekend

Saturday was a 5k in Stillwater, MN. It was a one-way route along the St. Croix river. Buses took us out of town to the start. The run started at 8am. We all had good running times as the course was gently sloping downhill as was? promised.

Brunch was at Tin Bins in Stillwater. The Bloody Marys came with the biggest beer chasers ever.

The weather a as perfect. A chilly start widen bright sun. I finished third in my age group (3 out of 15).


Sunday was the Minneapolis Parks' Bike Tour. Jenny joined Kelly and me this year for her first tour. We rode the full route - 32 miles.

Including the ride to and from Boom Island, the entire ride was just under 43 miles!

It was chilly for most of the route. The last two miles were right into a very strong wind. Our legs were burning by the end. It was difficult to get back on bikes to ride home.

Powder Room update

Inspections are completed or in progress.

Plumbing inspection was on Monday right after the plumbers finished up. The plumbers came back on Wednesday to hook up the radiator. All that has gone smoothly.

Electrical inspection was Tuesday after missed attempt on Monday. The electrical inspector couldn't find the bathroom on his own! I made sure I was here for his second visit.

The framing inspection is going to be by texted photograph. The carpenter came today to put in the small amount of framing that is needed. Jon is coming back this afternoon to take a photo and send to inspector.

Sheetrock will be going up on Monday. I am to do painting on Wednesday. The electrician will come back on Thursday to install the light fixture. The plumbers will also come on Thursday to install the toilet and sink.

The toilet has been in for a while. The actuator is in. The sink has arrived. I picked up the light fixture today. The faucet is to arrive on Monday. I need to get the flooring. I already have the paint.

Looks like this project is going to actually finish up soon. The goal is to have it completed or at least usable by Sunday September 2 for Apple Fest.

Spring Green

My trip actually started before even leaving Minneapolis. I went to Isles for a quick coffee. I was about to leave when I noticed a woman who had just walked in. She looked a lot like an actress I knew from my Guthrie Theatre days. I said 'Brenda Wehle?'. It was indeed her. We spent a few minutes catching up before I left to pick up Rose.

Bernstad's desserts

Rose and I picked up Dave in St. Paul, had coffee and were on our way. We made the traditional stops at the Wisconsin rest stop and Bernstad's in Tomah. Only Bernstad's is not the same. The restaurant is still there with the rotating desserts but the rest of the retail space is empty or being emptied. The grocery store is now a Gordy's.

We made it to the Spring Valley Inn, our favorite place to stay in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Megan and Michael were driving from Iowa City but we did not expect to see them for dinner. Rose, Dave and I each had the fish dinner. A lightly battered pan fried walleye prepared by Cole Rasmussen. It was fantastic. We were about to get up from dinner when Megan and Michael walked in.

Saturday was relaxing and on your own time. Rose went swimming in the pool. I went for a run. Megan and Michael joined up with Rose. Dave slept in.

We all went into Spring Green for a late breakfast and some shopping. Back at the hotel I rested, Rose read, the Petkewecs watched a movie for their movie club meeting, Dave went to Peck's.

APT oicnic

Saturday evening we picnicked before our show in the indoor theater at American Players Theatre . This was our first indoor performance. The space is wonderful and the building is creatively set in the woods. We saw Edward Albee's Seascape.

After the show and back at the Spring Valley Inn, we made s'mores and made new friends at the bonfire.

Sunday meant breakfast at The Shed and then home. It was a great trip. It was nice to be more relaxed.

Michael and Megan at the picnic

Tending the fire

Powder room project update

in-wall tank installed

Progress has been very slow.

The carpenter came two weeks ago to install the in-wall tank system. The plumbers came the next day to remove the old pipes. They also hooked up the new toilet drain.

The electrician showed up today. He installed the new wiring for overhead light fixture, switch and electrical outlet. He's coming back tomorrow to clean up the wiring that has been exposed by the renovations. It has gone smoothly so far.

electrical work

Labor Day weekend up north

Jenny invited me to her and Andrew's cabin in northern Minnesota. We were joined by her friend from college Karen and Karen's friend Elina. We left super early Friday morning.

Karen and Elina had not been past Duluth so we stopped and many roadside scenes along the way...including a set of giant chairs, a giant voyageur's statue and a giant rooster. I've passed all these sites but never stopped. It was fun seeing things with new eyes. For example, the giant voyageur isn't wearing pants!

little people or a giant chair?

We made it to the cabin around 1pm. The weather was beautiful. Forecasts were for ran during the weekend so we wanted to take advantage of sun and some wind. I bought a kayak sail and really wanted try it out. I thought it would be more fun sailing with someone so Jenny and I got the canoe out on the lake and tried sailing. It kind of worked as long as we went where the wind wanted to go. We couldn't really figure out how to steer. It was fun anyway.

It did rain but it was overnight. The same was true for Saturday and Sunday nights. Lots of rain overnight and beautiful days. Perfect.

Saturday we went to Grand Marais and a hike at W.R. Magney State Park. Grand Marais was busy. Many people taking advantage of the weather and the long weekend. Jenny got Andrew's birthday present from a local artist woodworker. I got Jenny's present from the same guy.

Beaver House, Grand Marais

W.R. Magney State Park is further up the north shore of Lake Superior. It has camping and hoking trails. It also has waterfalls as the Brule River flows down to the lake. One waterfall contains a geological mystery.

One of the waterfalls splits into two streams. One stream creates a normal waterfall. The other stream falls into a hole with no apparent outlet! You can read the story of the Devil's Kettle here.

Devil's Kettle

We stopped back in Grand Marais on the way back to the cabin. There was a lot of food back at the cabin bit not puffed tacos so we stopped at Hughie's Tacos.

Back at the cabin, Jenny started a 750 piece puzzle, Elina read her book, I worked a crossword and Karen did some work she had brought.

Sunday started off cloudy with rain threatening but it blew away and was hot and humid. I went for a run. I was soaking wet from the humidity and running nearly 8 miles. We decided a swim was needed so drove to Crescent Lake and had a blast swimming and frolicking in the cool, refreshing water.

Crescent Lake

And we had lots of fun with our underwater cameras...