Squirrel Haven 2.0

Hey Ho! Thought I do another update.

Everyone involved (Harry, Dave, Joe, me) in our home project has been busting arse around here and it is really starting to come together!

Our wiring project is done and I will be getting to redoing the office very soon.
Dave didn't have to do this patch, but before we knew it, he was done!

The house is a lot sturdier and safer now! Looks good too!
I like it when it's fall and the green ivy turns orange and red, don't you?



 We can even OPEN these lovely windows on the back room now!!!!

and we have a bit of a roof over our deck now for over the back door and over the hot tub!!
Wooooot!!
 The hot tub needs repair. That is one of the next projects to be done...
but when it's cleaned off and fixed ...
it'll be AWESOME to have a roof over us
and that also means.....
NO MORE PINE NEEDLES in the spa!
 

and there have been 8, count em, 8 new ones put in too! :)

 Hey, careful there......that first step is a doozie...

Yes, it's starting to feel lots more cozy here :)

And also QUIETER too with the tighter more efficient windows!

Hey Lorie...here's the wreath you gave me. Looks good with this plaque I had!

Sooo....

Here's a before picture....of one spot....
the cinder block addition was added WAY before we got it. It was painted to match the Harvest Gold aluminum stuff. I decided to just go with the white...as it would be too costly to match the old aluminum.
and one from this morning....same spot.
I like the way it looks, fine.
It looks good.

 I will be painting the privacy stockade partition white for on the deck...
No sense in the neighbors getting a wild buck arse show :)

and previous pic (the backyard is another story...but inch by inch....eh?
Harry is being fabulous and making a lot of changes and pitching in....
We were joking this morning that we've finally made the commitment that we love each other enough to work together and try to LIVE together so it's good for BOTH of us....
even if it's not easy sometimes....
it's worth it!

Anyways....
we have lots more to do.
And miles to go before we sleep....

but HEY!
it's better.

WAY better. :)

The outlook is very good.





Mag 104



"He approves of the undertakings"
 "The New Order of the Ages"
These are the words printed on our money.

Those trustworthy Washingtons.
Those steady Lincolns
Those stalwart Benjamins

In our pockets
In our purses
In our dreams

 Really are

The All Seeing Eye
Magnified thrice 
by Magickal Pyramid Power

Mammon lives.


*********************************

If you would like to read what some other fine writers have done with this inspirational photo today....
surf here!

Remodeling....Squirrels are Us....

Just an update as to our progress over here at Squirrel Haven.

I pretty much finished the front room. I found an awesome unit for the tv and equipment. Harry did NOT want me to buy "any particle board shit". Yes, I'm sure I got that quote right. My smart daughter, Jesse, said I might want to try an antique store or a thrift shop.

I did and I found the PERFECT thing!


 Check out this handmade piece of furniture that I found for $90!

We don't watch TV at all, (don't want cable and never wanted to replace the antennae when it was ripped down in a microburst in 1998). We choose what we want...and only watch videos or Netflix when we sit down to be entertained. So enclosing the TV in between time was awesome!

Dave and Joe have been working steadily on the roof. Got the uppers done and all that it entailed with new base under that one rotted spot. It's really coming along...even though the weather has been off and on again rainy and cold....
Dave is doing great with the project and both of the guys have been super!
I've been keeping crockpots of food on for them on their breaks.
Joe is funny. When it rains, I say, "You guys ok out there?"
And Joe will say, "I'm not made of sugar. I don't melt. But then again...shit doesn't do well in the rain either. I must not be made of either sugar or shit."


Now the guys are into the next step and  are endeavoring to make an overhang for the hot tub on the deck before the roofing is done.
Our hot tub has been down this season and all of last season. Some sort of tragic accident happened the night that Merlyn and Jesse were partying and forgot to turn off the water that Harry told us to "add some water to it after you get out". Blah blah blah. Something like that. ANYWAYS....during a movie and after several beers, Merlyn realized water was running. "Oh FUCK! We forgot to turn off the hose!!"
But it was too late. We smoked the brain on the computer in the unit.
Harry is finding parts for it....but it's an old unit and well....he's gonna have to be creative without schematics. We hope to get it up and running again after the roof and office is done.

Speaking of the office...

Harry IS brilliant with wiring and schematics....
but has run into a wiring nightmare in the soon to be painted (hopefully) office.
Old houses are fraught with problems such as these.
The first thing to do is to isolate just what is hooked up to what.
As in, "where the fuck does THIS wire go?"

It goes something like this:

Harry goes into basement and Merlyn is stationed upstairs in rooms that we are checking.

Harry: "Honey? You there?"
Merlyn: "I'm here."
Harry: "I'm gonna flip a breaker and you tell me what goes off, ok?"
Merlyn: "K"
CLICK
Merlyn: "The desk light and the computer went off."
Harry: "Did the overhead light go off?"
Merlyn: "NO."
Harry: "SHIT."
CLICK. (Lights back on in office).
CLICK.
Harry: "How about now?"
Merlyn: "The lights in the front room went off."
Harry: "The overhead light in the office is STILL ON?"
Merlyn: "YUP."
Harry: "FUCK."
CLICK. (lights go back on in front room)
CLICK
Harry: "How about now?"
Merlyn: "Overhead light OFF in office! But now the stove in the kitchen is blinking"
Harry: "What the hell did they do??? I'm coming up...I have to see this."

And like that.

The circuit that he's working on is (we found out) shared with stuff from upstairs, the kitchen and the lights on the staircase....
and he's trying to separate the circuits.

In between installs, and Screamer's Hollow tech needs.

The GOOD NEWS?

Well, it's VERY difficult to find out where you ARE in relationship to the upstairs outlet from the basement. Thank God for heating grates as landmarks so he can triangulate where things are. So here's the good part.
Evidently, some ratty/mousie/squirrel varmit had in the course of the last milennium, had decided to be thankful to the owners of the house.

(Here is a fun pic I found online....while it isn't my house...I'm sure it's the plan our mousie in the wall had...before he met with his unfortunate demise in the Adirondack trap in the basement..)

It had chewed a perfect access hole at a ridiculous angle (that works perfect for Harry) for him to fish the new wire beyond the old foundation.  
Otherwise, Harry would be taking more wall out and drilling at an angle through 2 foot thick stone foundation, and the main beam is a foot diameter tree trunk. Thanks to the RATTIES, here at Squirrel Haven, who are SO considerate, we can go forward a little easier.

See the yellow wire sticking out? Harry fed it from the basement up through the hole inside the wall which was made eons ago by some industrious mouse, chimpmunk or squirrel deep within the walls.


How'ere, the Squirrels here at Squirrel Haven are also doing a LOT of bitching in the treetops, because due to the new roof....they can't find their door....nor their nuts...nor their party haven and winter orgy grounds.
 They are yelling in their squirrely chatter to the guys on the roof.
In squirrel language it must translate to something like:
"HEY! Get off our house! Let us IN!! Give us back our nuts!! SQUATTERS!!! Thieves!!!!"

Let them yell.
So far, it's been a LOT quieter here inside since the roof went on.

We shall see once the winter comes if they continue to stay out.

So far....so good!




Gypsies & Graveyards & Vikings....Oh My!

A day of history, friends and frivolity of the most imaginative kind!

10-13-12 started out at my friend Fox's event "Harvest Folklore and Cemetery Storytelling" at Clay Park.

I have my daughter Shawna home from her residence this weekend and we had lots of silly fun!
We saw Fox and her special goat friend, Darla!

This is the goat blanket that Fox made from fabric scraps from friends all over the world!
There is even some special fabric from me in it. :)







Darla is so pretty! :)

Then we made Corn Dollies together with these Gypsy girls who helped us....
Then it was off on a bus ride with friends and family to go to Morgan Road Cemetery to visit this old graveyard and have a Storytelling by Fox!



I toasted my wee friend Miss Lily Rose on my lap. We are good buds :)

I have not been to a cemetery for YEARS. I am just too sensitive and "pick up messages". How'ere, this cemetery was very quiet and peaceful. My dear friend Anne Dougherty who I have a Tarot booth with, told me to "put out your CLOSED sign" when I go there. I did. I was very happy and I felt fine this time!



Fox and I are truly Gypsies! Friends for a Looooong Time.
Old Souls are We.

Shawna's daddy, Dave even met us to wander the cemetery. He reminded me of all the fun he and I used to have in a cemetery a loooong time ago when he and I were naughty hippy teenagers.
Notice the twinkle in his eyes?


Then it was off to a Viking Party with the Vogdis Clan! We are all great friends and such fun we had on a chilly October evening! Of course, the food, friendship and drinking kept us warm. Just like the furs that we wore!

Shawna makes a good Viking. For tonight her name was Brighetta :)





The fire bathed us all in a warm glow....
it was savage HOT.
Most of the revelers tried on a Viking hat or wore some fur....and the rest of us just had fun and drank! There was SOOO much food and drink!
I told everyone that I was bringing a traditional Viking dish to pass.
"Sheep Testicles in Clotted Cream."

They were kinda wary....

but then they realized Merlyn's word power and gobbled up the "Sveedish Meatballs" in my crockpot!




I'm a Saxon, I'm a Saxon, so are you! So are you!
Let's go kill a Norman, let's go kill a Norman....
Biff bam boo....biff bam boo....

Here is Viking Ilsa (Merlyn :)

Shawna had a beer...


And she wanted to try one shot of delicious meade so silly supped from "The Sword of Drunkeness" with friends Lori and Craig.



and den like Good Viking, she snuggled up by the fire.
Craig wrapped her up in a toasty blanket....
 All in all a VERY full day ....

Full of Gypsies, walking, fun, Vikings and good times.

Night Shawna! :)