1: Weight: 207.2. Let's see what happens.
1: Daily regimen of B-12, oils, and apple cider vinegar.
1: Christmas lights and decorations come down.
2: For the first time during our marriage, my wife has to work while I have the day off!
2: I shave off my Van Dyck. Had it since August 2014.
2: Planted the Christmas deodara in the draw close to the road and JayMi's tree near the tree garden.
2: I dig up the septic to locate the connector.
2: I split some oak with a maul and wedge. Great workout!
3: I use the chainsaw to cut the old branches and trunks for firewood.
3: We get our fishing licenses for 2015.
4: We go fishing at Bass Lake with GaRy and JaNell. We went to the dam. Nothing. We then went to Miller's Landing at the Point and my wife reels in two rainbow trout measuring 14 and 15 inches in length.
4: Bonehead me leaves the tackle box on the back bumper with our newly purchased fishing licenses in the tackle box.
5: Gas $2.299 at Costco.
5: We get our fishing licenses re-issued at $10.54 a license!
6: Lowe's: purchase four weatherstripping kits for the doors.
6: The remainder of the Christmas decorations in the done are stowed away.
6: California gray fox sighting in our backyard near the rocks. First sighting in over a year.
7: OSB is secured to the rafters of the west bay window.
7: Siding installed on west wall.
7: Weatherstripping installed around the doors of our mud room, MIL's door, and bathroom door. No more drafts.
8: Gas still at $2.229.
8: Lowe's: One more weatherstripping kit for the east den door.
8: Shingles on the west bay window.
9: Gas $2.299.
9: Baja Fresh night.
9: Aunt C's mother passes away.
10: The rafters in place for Shed 2.
10: Gate fixed and level.
10: No drive day.
11: Our new Frigidaire microwave is used for the very first time.
11: Roof on Shed 2. We put up the old OSB from the Upper. Had to cut them in half due to the weight of the sheets because some were wet from being on the ground.
12: Foggy drive to work.
12: Lowe's: We purchase the last 7 of the Hardie planks, plus 1/2 inch OSB, and contractor's pack of caulk.
13: Fog.
13: The west side of the house is done. The final Hardie planks are in place.
14: Fog.
14: Gas $2.299.
14: Trim is applied around the office window and bay windows on the west wall. The west wall is done.
15: Fog.
16: Fog.
16: Aunt C's mother laid to rest.
16: Costco run.
16: Upper deck construction begins.
17: We go for a hike on Lewis Creek Trail to Red Rock Falls.
18: Movie: American Sniper. MIL, my wife, Uncle T, Aunt C, and I.
18: Our first NutriBullet breakfast.
19: Yosemite Falls Lumber: two 4x4x12, one 2x12x16 (cut into 10, 4, and 2-foot sections).
19: OSB taken up to the Upper deck.
20: Fog.
20: Gas $2.259.
20: MRI on my left elbow for me.
21: Today would have been my FIL and MIL's 59th anniversary. My wife, JayMi, MIL and I have dinner at South Gate Brewing Company. I had fish and garlic fries! YUMMAY!
22: Gas $2.219.
23: Fog.
23: Baja Fresh night.
23: The Upper Deck is nearly complete. OSB laid down on the west side.
24: Took a short nap.
25: Fishing at Bass Lake. Just the two of us. Nothing, not even a bite.
25: Took a short nap.
26: Gas $2.199.
26: Lowe's: purchased 2 sheets of 23/32 inch OSB.
27: First rain of 2015. 0.26 inches. More than a sprinkle than anything else. Better than nothing.
28: Fog.
28: Gas $2.189.
28: Baja Fresh night in the break room at my wife's office due to computer upgrades. She had to remain in the office until the job was done.
29: Fog.
29: The Upper Deck is finished. Now the painting and the finishing touches begin.
30: Fog.
30: Gas $2.179.
31: Siding on the west side of the Upper is done! South side painted with 2 additional coats and some trim painted.
31: Rain: 0.26. 2014: 1.92.
FEBRUARY 2015
1: Superb Owl 49. GaRy and JaNell, KlAus and GaIL, Uncle T and TrE, my wife, JayMi, and me. MIL came to the pregame meal then left before the game even started.
2: Lowe's purchase: Large box of 1-5/8 inch fine drywall screws and a paint sample.
3: Gas $2.199. Going up. The lowest was on January 30 at $2.179.
4: Trim is applied to the siding.
5: Gas $2.219.
5: Weight 214. Gas isn't the only thing going up. I don't blame it on the NutriBullet. Just gotta keep moving around.
5: Lowe's purchase: 2-2x6x12 and 2-2x8x12 (both cut in half), 1 gallon of deck paint, and paint samples.
5: Baja Fresh night.
5: Some balusters in place. Trim on the siding done.
6: Balusters done.
6: Lowe's purchase: 4 2x6x8 redwood and 1 2x6x10 redwood and 1 box of tan 3-inch screws and 1 gallon of deck paint.
6: Rain. 0.68
7: Rain. 0.88.
8: Rain. 0.68.
9: Rain. 0.35. Total from this storm: 2.59 inches. Good, but we need more!
9: Lowe's purchase: Timers for the water heaters, power strips.
10: Gas $2.359.
10: We watch Jon Stewart announce he is leaving the Daily Show later this year. First Stephen Colbert on December 18, 2014 and now Jon. Late night for us (8pm) will never be the same.
11: The first of two timers is installed for the second water heater.
11: All of the electrical for the Upper and Lower is done.
11: We win $4.00 in the Power Ball lottery!
12: Haircut.
12: Baja Fresh night.
13: Lowe's purchase: paint.
13: Lowe's, Costco, Lowe's again, Trader Joe's.
13: Some of the west side is painted olive sawdust.
14: Dinner at Crab Cakes in Oakhurst. Our first visit. We ordered burnt salmon. It was delicious.
15: To the Los Angeles area to see Aunt Sue and Aunt Dena. It was good to see them again. Aunt Dena will be 94 this year and Aunt Sue will be 90 this year. 500 miles in 8 hours roundtrip.
16: Subie oil change. The Subie will also get a new thermostate and AC belt.
16: Planted Japanese maple tree in our backyard between the pomegranate and the honeysuckle. The tree was a gift from my MIL for us on Valentine's Day.
16: West side wall is done. The trim is painted in arid plains which really complements the olive sawdust walls, wooden doors, and white Pella windows.
16: My wife gets a pedicure and manicure.
17: Gas $2.559.
17: The Subie gets a new AC belt and new thermostat.
17: Trim applied between the Lower and Home as well as the soffit area.
19: Fog
19: Lowe's: 1 roll of Owens Corning mineral surfaced Shasta white.
19: Baja Fresh night.
20: Fog.
20: Gas $2.599.
20: To San Francisco to see KC and EriKa. Courtyard Marriott room 207 in San Bruno.
21: We all go to the Treasure Island Flea Market.
21: We see the movie Kingsman: The Secret Service in Daly City.
23: The Upper roof is repaired. The wind storm from December 11 loosened up some of the roofing.
23: Balusters sanded and stained.
23: Portion of the westside Upper is painted. My wife finishes painting the trim on the west side.
23: No drive day.
24: Gas $2.699.
25: The second water heater timer is installed on our water heater.
25: More baluster work done on the north side of the Upper.
26: More baluster work on the north stairwell on the upper and lower sections.
27: Gas $2.859.
27: Some trim applied to the north wall and window underneath the Upper
28: Rain.
28: Rain: 3.11. 2014: 5.20.
MARCH 2015
1: Rain.
1: Movie: McFarland, USA. My wife, MIL and I.
1: I noticed one of the ponderosa pines to the south is leaning towards the house.
2: Rain.
2: Switched out the propane tank for the space heater.
2: The chimney to the wood stove is plugged at the top. No smoke is escaping. Looks like a cleaning to me.
3: Chimney and stove cleaned. Creosote was the main cause of our problem. Will have to stop using pine cones and rotten pine as firestarters.
4: Gas $3.099.
4: One cord of oak delivered for $180.00.
6: Gas $3.159.
6: Lowe's: paint brushes and an aluminum air vent cover.
6: Baja Fresh night.
7: Painted the rest of the Upper west side, and the bathroom and the wall opposite the walk in closet. All of the trim on the west and south side are painted. As of this date, the painting on the south and west side are all done. One less project to do.
7: No drive day.
8: My MIL, my wife, and I go to the House and Garden show at the Fresno Fairgrounds.
10: Eight years has passed.
10: Gas $3.129.
10: Framed boxes are built to hide the electrical meter.
11: Lowe's purchase: 3x18in P36 ceramic belt.
11: We go to Fresno's SPCA to look at dogs.
11: We visit the owner who has a male Pungsan puppy for sale.
12: Gas $3.129.
12: Electrical panel "hidden."
13: Eight years since the funeral.
13: Lowe's purchase: 40 grit 3x18 belt.
13: Chipotle night.
13: The frame for the overhang to the west window of the Upper is complete.
14: National Pi Day...3.1415926. May I have a large container of coffee.
14: No drive day.
14: Sanded balusters.
14: My wife paints the Upper window frame.
14: My wife paints the electric meter encasement.
14. Mowed and weed whacked yard and trail.
14: We do not fire up the wood stove for the first time this year.
15: Placed an extra row of siding just below the Upper patio floor joists and painted that siding. My wife stained most of the exposed wood on the Upper patio and stairway.
15: No drive day.
16: We go to the Madera animal shelter to look at a Australian shepherd/huskie mix. To our dismay, the dog was retrieved by its owner when we got there.
17: Lowe's purchase: latex gloves, contractor's pack of clear caulking, lag screws, and eye bolts.
17: We sign the paperwork to get a 3-month old female Australian cattle dog mix puppy. Names in consideration: Sasha (favorite), Molly, Whitney, Tuesday, Matilda, Mandy.
17: The balusters for the Upper stairwell are done. The overhang for the westside Upper window is in place.
18: Gas $2.989.
18: Going away party for my wife's assistant district manager at Westwood BBQ (the old Claim Jumper) location.
19: A sheet of cement siding is in place on the northwest corner of the upper.
19: A sun "shines" around our electric meter.
20: Gas $2.959.
20: Lowe's purchase: 35 sheets of cement siding, paint, and an evaporative cooler for the Upper. The sheets will be delivered on March 25.
20: The Upper overhang has a roof on it.
20: The west porch soffit is installed. No more ugliness.
20: Baja Fresh night.
21: Built frames for the raised garden beds. My wife cleans up the backyard and relocates the composter.
21: REI dividend: $35.08. Last year, it was $3.12!
22: Hauled away all of the old glass, T1-11 waste and other scrap.
22: Burn day. Burned two piles in both hollows.
22: Planted fig tree in east hollow and erected a fence around it to keep out the deer.
23: Lowe's purchase: Ordered thirty 8x8x16 cinder blocks for delivery on March 25, 2015. These will be for the raised garden beds for the west hollow.
24: Gas $2.959.
25: Delivery of the 35 sheets of cement board siding and 30 cinder blocks.
25: Shingles on the Upper window overhang.
25: Framework in place for the den's east bay window.
25: Trim is applied to the laundry room window.
26: The den's east bay window is shingled.
27: Lowe's purchase: berry bushes (thornless blackberry), fruit trees (plum, peach, apple), hose bib, trim, T-posts (20), Z-bar, galvanized perimeter fencing (2 rolls).
27: Siding is applied to the east bay window.
28: FIL 3 years.
28: We attempt to move a log into place for our front porch. We used a come-along. It was just too much for GaRy, my wife and me.
28: Lower row of siding up on the east side.
28: No drive day.
29: We work on the raised Zen garden project in the "holler."
30: Mental health day.
30: More work on the Zen garden.
30: Electricity now working around the east porch.
30: Last row of siding applied to the east side. Ninety-five percent done.
30: My wife plants the blackberry bushes and the fruit trees down in the east "holler." We now have 4 fruit trees. T-posts and perimeter fencing erected around them to keep the deer from eating the leaves and berries.
30: East den door installed.
30: No drive day.
31: Lowe's purchase: Two 4-inch hinges and 400 grit wet-dry sandpaper.
31: Rain: 0.62. 2014: 2.40.
APRIL 2015
1: Gas $2.869.
1: The siding on the east side is complete.
1: Trim is applied to our bedroom window and the east den door.
1: Electrical boxes in place for outlets and lights for the back patio and the east den door.
2: Lowe's purchase: hornet trap.
4: Drove to Lotus Garden in Clovis to pick up some fruit trees and grapevines.
4: While my wife painted the north side, I painted the east side of the Lower. Painting is done for the lower except for the trim.
5: Planted the fruit trees (apricot and granny smith), raspberry bush, grapevines. Surrounded each with some fencing to keep the deer out. Our orchard is done.
5: Sprinkle: 0.01 inches.
6: Sprinkle: 0.01 inches.
6: I bring home a ficus tree from work.
7: Gas $2.829.
7: Rain: 0.81 inches.
8: Rain: 0.02 inches.
8: PetSmart purchase: bed, collar, and leash.
9: Gas $2.829.
9: Sasha is ours now. We also got her brother, Drake.
10: Lowe's purchase: perimeter fencing.
10: Haircut.
11: Put up trim on the east side under the eaves to keep the hornets out.
11: I weedwacked while my wife mowed the backyard. If it doesn't rain, this will be the last time we will mow until November or December.
11: No drive day.
12: We take Sasha, Drake and Toby for a stroll near our home. It was Sasha and Drake's first time out of the home and the confines of the yard.
12: We drive to Cristi's house in Deadwood to get some raspberry bushes from her.
12: We go to The Forks for dinner and later walk to the lake with the dogs. It was Sasha and Drake's first contact with a "big puddle."
13: Gas $2.829.
13: Lowe's purchase: 26-1x3x10 trim boards, 2 10-foot ABS black pipe, one Kwikset deadbolt, one box of trim screws, and a brand new pair of leather Mechanix gloves for me.
14: No poop oops or piddle puddles.
14: For the first time, my wife and I take Drake and Sasha out for a brisk stroll one mile out and back. They did remarkably well on the leashes.
15: No poop oops or piddle puddles.
15: Lowe's purchase: 12-1x4by10 trim boards, 8 ABS black pipe, couplings.
16: Sasha and Drake's first week with us.
16: A poop oops.
16: Gas $2.829.
16: Orthopedist appointment. No surgery neeeded at this time for my left bicep that I tore on November 22, 2014. Doctor said the bicep is definitely torn at the distal end.
16: Trim applied to all doors and windows on the east and north side.
17: More trim applied.
18: We strategize how to get the logs into place on our south porch.
18: Black pipe in place for the grey water on the east side to water our fruit trees.
19: We take Sasha and Drake for a 4.65 mile hike on the "In=-n-Out" trail near Bass Lake.
19: We take a nap.
20: Wife to Riverside with Mang and Shanise. All of them were supposed to fly, but the flight was cancelled. So, they drove to Riverside in a Fiat. Imagine three women on a 3-day business meeting with all of their business suits. I bet someone had to ride with their chin on their knees.
21: Wife at Riverside.
21: Gas $2.899.
21: Lowe's purchase: Two 2x12x8 and twelve 3/8 x 3 inch lag screws. Also, purchased Dewalt polarized safety glasses with my Lowe's gift card I got for my birthday.
21: Five pits and counting. Dogs keep a diggin'.
22: Wife at Riverside.
22: Earth Day #45.
22: GFCI outlet installed on east den wall.
22: Trim applied to den wall.
23: Two weeks of Sasha and Drake.
23: Gas $2.899.
23: Wife returns from Riverside.
24: Chipotle night.
25: Both vehicles get oil change
25: Rain. 1.97 inches.
25: Screen in place for greenhouse window facing east to keep whatever is eating the plants in side out.
25: First bath for Sasha.
26: The tree poles are erected on the south porch.
26: First bath for Drake.
26: No drive day.
27: Gas $3.059.
27: Right thumb hurts from yesterday's labor.
28: Gas $3.089.
28: Right wrist hurts now due to Sunday's labor. Must be the arthritis.
28: Remnants of the ponderosa pines are in place between the three poles.
29: Lowe's purchase: Eight 2x4x8, eight 2x6x10 redwood, one 1-pound box of 10x3 tan screws.
29: Balusters and railing in place on the west end of the south porch.
30: Lowe's purchase: rebar and pins for the timers on the water heaters.
30: Balusters cut, sanded, and stained.
30: My wife gets new glasses!
30: Rain: 2.89. 2014: 2.46.
MAY 2015
1: Lowe's purchase: 30 1x4x10 trim, 1 critter can (for the dog food), and 1 roll of 24-in wide 50 foot chicken wire.
1: Office move.
1: The more balusters installed on the south porch.
1: The last of the redwood top railing is completed on the south lower porch.
2: Trim painted.
2: Siding removed from Upper west and north side.
2: Hose bib installed to both pipes on west porch.
2: Showerhead installed in our bathroom.
2: Mowed yard and weedwhacked.
2: No drive day.
3: Last of the logs in place on the east side of the south porch.
3: Permiter fencing installed in the west holler.
4: Gas $3.289.
4: First day at the new office. For the first time in my life, I am working in a brand NEW office with all new furniture.
4: Lowe's purchase: One 4x4x10, eight 2x4x8, seven 2x4x6, one 250 foot roll 14-2 with ground, one roll of perimeter fencing with, and two sheets of OSB plywood.
4: The package (a bed) from TeamBruin arrives for Sasha and Drake.
5: All of the balusters are installed on the south porch.
5: Trim applied to all of the west wall. Trimming project is done on the Lower.
5: 4x4 post in place for the bathroom patio.
5: Erected perimeter fencing around the garden in the Holler.
5: Hoisted the two OSB sheets on top of the bathroom. These are to be the roof of the bathroom patio.
6: Gas $3.289.
6: Rafters and OSB plywood installed for the bathroom patio.
6: MIL plants seeds in her new garden in the west Holler.
7: Gas $3.359.
7: Last of the balusters installed on the east side of the south porch. The south porch is almost complete. All that is left are the beams and the screens and a ping pong table.
7: Rain 1.13 inches.
7: We have had Sasha and Drake for 4 weeks.
8: Rain 0.12 inches.
9: I purchased a pooper scooper for immediate use. The plastic shovel and rake just don't cut it.
9: We have had Sasha and Drake for one month.
9: We work in the garden.
9: I make another raised bed from the old 2x6 boards.
10: Today is 5-10-15 day.
10: I take the recyclables in.
10: We work in the garden.
10: I move the downed log at the end of our driveway to a place adjacent to FIL's tree.
10: The bricks are in place in front of the west bay window for a future garden. The bricks came from the tree in the backyard.
10: Mother's Day. MIL, my wife and I go to Iron Horse in Oakhurst.
10: Sasha and Drake have their first beef rib bone.
11: Gas $3.289.
11: Lowe's purchase: 10 T-posts, chicken wire, wire mesh, 100-ft hose.
11: Hooked up the hose to the lower hose bib on the west porch so that MIL can water the new west garden.
12: Gas $3.289.
14: Gas $3.389.
14: I purchase Jason Aldean's "Night Train" CD.
14: Rain 0.14.
15: Rain 0.09.
15: Lowe's purchase #1: roll of asphalt paper, contractor pack of clear caulking, torque head screws, pipe fittings, wood saw blades for the saws all.
15: Lowe's purchase #2: pavers for the bathroom patio
15: Baja Fresh night.
16: Rain 0.01.
16: Trim reapplied to the bathroom since it had to be taken down for the construction of the patio.
16: Stain is applied to the Upper and Lower stairway.
16: More T-posts driven in to expand the west garden.
17: No drive day.
17: Garden in place on the west bay window and rosemary planted. Dirt is hauled from the west holler.
17: Retaining block and granite stairway constructed for access into the west garden.
17: Rain 0.06.
18: Gas $3.389.
18: Rain 0.28.
18: New naturopathic doctor appointment.
18: Lowe's purchase: Ordered over 500 pavers for delivery.
18: Baja Fresh Night.
19: Rain 0.01.
21: Gas $3.389.
22: Vacation day.
22: KC graduates from college...finally. He and his girlfriend, EriKa, partook in the 114th commencement exercises for San Francisco State University.
23: YARTS begins service for the Oakhurst area from Fresno to Yosemite and back.
23: Breakfast at Crepevine in Berkeley with KC, JayMi, my wife and me.
23: We finally find lemon grass in a nursery in Merced.
23: Sprinkle 0.02.
24: KC and EriKa visit.
24: Sprinkle 0.01.
24: I make three more raised beds for the garden.
24: Seventy-two balusters cut.
24: The wood scrap pile is moved near the firewood.
25: I haul dirt to fill in those 3 beds.
25: KC and EriKa leave.
25: No drive day.
26: Lowe's purchase: Two galvanized 12-qt buckets, and glow-in-the-dark spray paint.
26: Naturopath appointment.
27: Lowe's purchase: One 20-foot roll of 1/4 OD copper tubing.
27: Braces secure two of the three main logs on the front porch.
28: Gas $3.329.
29: Haircut
29: Swamp cooler for the Upper installed.
30: Weedwhacked.
30: Balusters sanded.
30: No drive day.
30: Swamp cooler turned on for the first time this year. Although we did not cover it up during the "mild" winter, all systems are operational.
31: We take the puppies to The Forks at Bass Lake.
31: We get blackberry starters from Cristi, along with artichokes.
31: Wood stove cleaned out for this winter/spring season.
31: Rain: 1.87. 2014: 0.54.
JUNE 2015
2: Gas $3.299.
2: Purchased Gordon Lightfoot's Complete Greatest Hits and Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Greatest Hits.
2: Ultrasound.
2: Lowe's purchase: Ten 2x4x8's and ten 2x6x8.
2: Balusters stained.
2: The last of the cut three logs for the porch is now reinforced.
3: Lowe's purchase: Ten 2x4x8's, ten 2x6x8, quarter-turn hose bib, 5# box of 10x3 deck screws.
3: Galvanized pipes added below the west deck for the the west garden in the holler.
3: One sheet and one-half sheet of siding installed on the north side of the Upper.
3: Water pipe installed under the west porch for the west holler garden. Now, there is no need to purchase additional hose.
3: One by twelve knotty pine fascia is applied to the west porch.
4: One by twelve knotty pine fascia applied to the south porch.
4: More siding is applied to the north side of the Upper. Almost done.
5: Lowe's purchase: 1 box of star-headed trim screws.
5: All siding is up on the north side of the Upper. All that is left is the west and south side.
5: Rain 0.01.
6: Scorpion kill #2: Bathtub
6: We take the dogs on the In-N-Out Trail to Bass Lake. They are now "baptized." They had fun in the lake.
7: Sasha and Drake celebrate (well, sort of) their first six months.
7: Trash run.
8: Gas $3.199.
8: Lowe's purchase: Three 10-ft 1/2-inch galvanized pipe.
8: 100.2°.
9: Lowe's purchase: 30 1x3x10, paint roller sleeves, 1/4-turn hose bib, sponge.
9: Lowe's purchase: 3-foot 1/2-inch galvanized pipe.
9: Pipe laid out on the north side for us to watering plants under bay window.
9: Two 1x12 knotty pines in place on the west side of the south porch.
9: Framework laid out on the north side of MIL's new porch.
9: Sprinkle 0.01.
10: Sprinkle 0.01.
10: Two 1x12 knotty pines in place on the east side of the south porch.
10: More framework laid out for MIL's porch.
10: Hosebib connected next to MIL's porch.
11: Gas $3.159.
11: Knotty pine fascia project for the south porch is completed.
11: More work on MIL's porch. More boardwalks in place.
11: We clear out the north side for the paver delivery.
12: Pavers delivered.
12: Balusters on MIL's porch. All that is left is to finish putting the balusters up on the north side and make two gates.
13: Painted the soffit and trim of the west porch and painted the rest of the trim under the soffit. Also caulked all the windows on the west side between the door and the Lower and the lower portion of the bay window. No more bugs and no more potential leaks.
13: Trim painted.
13: My wife stains the fascia along the west and south porch and paints trim around the Lower bathroom.
13: 102.2°.
14: We take Sasha and Drake on upper Lewis Creek Trail (Red Rock Falls). They had fun in the creek!
14: Flag Day.
14: 100.0°.
15: Gas $3.159.
15: Lowe's purchase: Three 2x6x8 redwood, stain, shower drain, shower head, shower pan.
16: Lowe's purchase (AM): Contractor pack of clear caulk.
16: Costco run: toilet paper, salmon burgers, tuna, detergent, CoQ010, calcium, rotisserie chicken, 50# bag of Iam's dog food, frozen organic blueberries, gum, Bronner's liquid soap.
17: Lowe's purchase: Exchanged the showerhead for a shower kit and picked up the shower pan purchased on Monday.
17: All of the balusters are in place, the redwood installed for MIL's porch. All that is left is a couple of gates and the project is complete, except for the staining and sealing.
17: The hosebib on the corner of MIL's room is hooked up and water flows.
17: Some trim applied to the north side of the Upper.
17: 100.0°.
18: Gas $3.129.
18: Three fires: Triangle Fire (Bootjack), Sky Fire (Oakhurst), Corrine Fire (North Fork).
19: The front gate for MIL's porch are installed.
20: Painted, stained, and/or caulked the Upper north side, MIL's porch, and the west side trim around the west bay window.
20: No drive day.
20: 101.3°.
21: Summer solstice.
21: The puppies' first day of summer and we hike the Lewis Creek Trail to Red Rock Falls.
21: My MIL, JayMI, my wife and I celebrate Father's Day with pork ribs, potato salad, corn on the cob, fresh green beans, and cantaloupe for dinner.
22: Lowe's purchase: Five pound box of torque-head screws, weenie rollers, and a cement-cutting 7-inch circular blade.
22: Watersealed MIL's porch.
23: Gas $3.099.
23: Ninety-nine percent of the trim is up on the Upper north side.
24: Purchased The Marshall Tucker Band Greatest Hits.
24: MIL's porch is done. All that is left is the staining and sealing.
24: Work begins on the Upper bathroom. Bathroom window installed. Black piping for the sink in the wall.
25: 104.1°.
26: 106.9°.
27: Vacuumed out the truck and cleaned up the bed.
27: No drive day.
28: No drive day.
28: Sasha and Drake have their first fight over Toby's chewy. It was our first witness to this behavior. We had to separate and scold them. Almost got the hose to douse them to "cool them off."
28: Piping for the shower and toilet installed.
28: Trench dug for the sink/shower and toilet.
28: Painted west fascia and soffit. My wife paints the ceiling of Lower bathroom.
30: Gas $3.069.
30: Assembled the first two of 50 office chairs for my wife's office.
30: Sewer and drain pipe connected to the mainline. The drain pipe will divert the grey water for the fruit trees.
30: Rain: 0.03. 2014: 0.01.
30: Drain pipe for Upper shower and sink connected to the drain pipe from our bathroom and kitchen for the grey water for our fruit trees.
30: Sewer pipe connected to the septic.
30: 107.2°!
30: Triple-digit heat (8 days): 8-100.2; 13-102.2; 14-100.0; 17-100.0; 20-101.3; 25-104.1; 26-106.9; 30-107.2 . 2014: 3 days of triple-digit heat.
JULY 2015
1: Sewer pipe from the Upper toilet connected to the sewer line leading to the septic tank.
1: Lowe's purchase: 26 2x4x8, remodel can lights.
2: Sprinkle 0.03.
2: 100.0°.
2: Purchased Eric Church's "The Outsiders." My wife likes Eric Church.
2: Gas $3.059.
2: Walmart: Purchased a 2-burner Coleman propane stove to replace the one KC "forever borrowed" from us. All is good in the camping world. We also purchased 3 metal dog dishes.
2: Big 5: we purchased a screened shelter for use for our camping trips. No more pestering bugs while trying to relax and eat.
2: Upper bathroom framed.
2: Dental appointment.
3: 101.3°.
3: Lee Vining. Site 16. KC and EriKa join us later that evening.
4: 102.7°.
4: Lee Vining. Fishing, but not a nibble.
4: Laser light show at Bass Lake. They decided to not do the fireworks this year for the first time after 78 years. We did not go.
5: Lee Vining. We crack open 4 eggs and all of them were double yolks.
5: We give KC our 4-person tent so he and EriKa have something to sleep in besides their cars.
7: Gas $3.059.
7: Naturopath appointment for me.
7: Upper bathroom: Copper pipes in place for sink and shower. Fan installed. Wiring for lights installed.
7: First tomato from our beefsteak plant.
8: All water pipes and drain pipes are connected. Next comes the testing for any leaks.
8: Tioga Pass was closed due to SNOW!!!
9: My wife drops me off at work at the new office for the first time. Hope she doesn't get lost picking back up or doesn't forget to pick me up.
10: Sprinkle in the morning 0.01.
10: Drove to Concord to stay at the Hilton. Room 932. It was my wife's GOLD meeting: Growth, Opportunity, Leadership through Diversity.
11: GOLD conference. I ate at Fuddrucker's for the first time in a very long time. We come home around 8:15 p.m.
13: Gas $3.099.
14: Our eighth anniversary. Dinner at Oka Japanese Restaurant in Oakhurst.
14: Some of the cement siding is installed along the Upper's east side.
15: Gas $3.179.
15: Dermatologist appointment for my wife. All is okay.
15: All of the siding is up on the Upper's east side.
16: I purchase Styx "Greatest Hits" CD.
16: Haircut.
16: All of the trim is up on the Upper's east side.
17: Lowe's purchase: 8 sheets of Durock, tile, 5-gallon of paint. This will be the last paint we will ever purchase for the outside. One less thing to purchase.
17: 100.0°.
17: Baja Fresh night.
18: Embassy Suites in Seaside, CA, for a retirement function for the District Manager who my wife filled in while she was out on medical leave. Drove out and back.
18: Got home and I get back spasms. This is the first time in a long time this has happened.
19: No drive day.
19: Back spasms still. They go away as long as I ambulate. When I bend over to pick something up, that is another story.
20: Gas $3.189.
20: More back spasms.
20: New wide monitor for me at work. Nice.
20: MMR board up on the Upper bathroom.
20: Rain, lightning, and thunder equates to 1.18 inches of rain. Throw in a brownout and a blackout, too.
21: Back spasms.
22: Back spasms.
23: Back spasms.
23: Gas $3.159.
23: Lowe's purchase: 5 pound box of 1-5/8 inch fine drywall screws and a sink snake.
24: Back spasms.
25: Lewis Creek hike with the dogs.
25: Willow Fire (Bass Lake).
25: Back spasms.
26: Back spasms.
27: Back spasms.
27: First chiropractic visit of the year for me. Back feeling better.
28: Back spasms.
28: Gas $3.159.
28: Purchased two new front tires for the truck at Wal-Mart.
28: 101.1°.
29: Back feeling better.
29: Dental appointment regarding the upper right molar abscess I had back in May. Referred to a periodontist.
29: 105.6°.
30: 104.2°.
31: Lowe's purchase: 22 3X10 trim boards.
31: The Willow Fire has scorched 4,394 acres and is 30% contained.
31: 101.8°.
31: Triple-digit heat (8 days): 2-100.0; 3-101.3; 4-102.7; 17-100.0; 28-101.1, 29-105.6, 30-104.2, 31-101.8. 2014: 13 days of triple-digit heat.
31: Rain: 1.23. 2014: 0.03.
AUGUST 2015
1: Drake sprains his right front paw while playing with Sasha. His paw landed in one of the holes they dug. He is okay.
1: Durock installed in the Upper bathroom.
1: Subie blows an upper radiator hose in town.
1: JayMi paints the 22 trim boards.
1: The north side of the Upper is painted.
2: Subie radiator hose replaced.
2: The Rubbermaid storage container is moved from near the greenhouse to under MIL's north window.
2: My wife stains MIL's Gate 2.
2: Hung two plant hangers on MIL's porch.
2: Puppies get a wading pool compliments of MIL. At first they didn't know what to think. Sasha led the way. She eventually sat in it. Meanwhile, Drake is still a little skittish when it comes to getting his feet wet.
2: Drake's paw is getting better. Less of a noticeable limp.
3: Back is better....much better.
3: Lowe's purchase: 1/4-in 10-in extension, needlenose pliers, 4-in-1 screwdriver, can of semi-gloss clear.
3: Willow Fire: 5,702 acres and 70% contained.
5: Willow Fire: 85% contained.
6: Willow Fire: 90% contained.
6: Blood draw.
6: We watch Jon Stewart's finale on "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart." We will wait and see how his replacement is. Our contingency is HGTV. That is how we get our ideas.
7: A sprinkle mixed with a little thunder.
7: My BroIL and SIL have twins at 2:00 a.m.: Nikolai James (7 lbs.) and Teodon Joseph (8 lbs, 10 ozs.)
7: Lowe's purchase: Nine 2x6x12, four 4x4x10 posts, lag screws, washers, pier blocks.
7: Baja Fresh night.
7: KC and EriKa visit.
8: Erected "lean to" on north side of shed. My wife, KC, and EriKa helped.
8: MIL makes homemade vanilla ice cream.
8: Willow Fire 95% contained.
9: Cleaned all of the rain gutters.
9: No drive day.
10: Lowe's purchase: lag screws and washers, and 3 sheets of 15/32 OSB plywood.
10: Upper bathroom Durock on the floor.
11: Lowe's purchase: more lag screws and washers, and 3 sheets of 15/32 OSB plywood.
12: Lowe's purchase: 2 sheets of 15/32 OSB plywood.
12: Willow Fire 100% contained.
13: Lowe's purchase: 4 sheets of 15/32 OSB plywood, six 2x6x8, four 2x4x8, door hinges and latch for shed.
13: Baja Fresh night.
13: Drywall (regular and MMR) up on the Upper bathroom walls.
14: My wife off.
15: My wife's birthday.
15: Dinner at Sweetwater with MIL, JayMi, my wife and me. I ordered a 14-oz. ribeye steak that was delicious.
15: We get new running shoes at Big 5.
15: The roof is on the north side shed extension.
16: Extension and north side of the shed is painted and the roof caulked. The wooden storage shelves are painted. The posts are to be stained.
16: No drive day.
17: I exchange my new New Balance 10.5 running shoes for a size 11.
17: We re-sign to become "fitness zoners" again.
18: After dropping me off work, my wife takes MIL to the airport for her trip to the City of Roses. I got to ride in the backseat of my MIL's car for the first time. WOOHOO!
18: Our first "zone" workout after re-signing at the gym. I do 10 pullups, 10 vertical knee raises, and 10 bardips (sans weights) for the first time since March 25, 2014.
19: MIL toilet leak at the shutoff valve. Pinhole leak. Fixed.
19: Naturopath appointment. Start regimen of myomin, Unda 2-20-243.
20: Gas $2.959.
21: Lowe's purchase: Twelve 2x4x8s, pulleys, anchors, rope, carabiners to hang the kayak.
22: New OSB plywood on the east side of the shed.
22: No drive day.
23: New OSB plywood and new window on the south side of the shed.
23: No drive day.
25: 30 years in California.
25: While heading southbound to work, we see a brown/black bear dart across the highway around mile marker 26.
25: Gas $2.959.
25: Lowe's purchase: 4 sheets of 15/32 OSB plywood, one Z-bar, and one new Dewalt worm drive saw.
25: Leaks to MIL's toilet shutoff valve and the Upper cooler repaired.
26: Lowe's purchase: 4-piece pick set.
27: Upper bathroom textured on the inside walls.
28: Haircut.
29: We go to Fresno to get my wife two purse(s) for her upcoming manager's meeting in Sin City. and Lowe's.
29: Lowe's purchase: 12 2x4x8, 2 2x6x8, 10 1x4 trim, screws, screen.
29: Baja Fresh night.
30: West side of shed done with new OSB. All that is left is the door.
30: The east and south side of shed is painted.
30: Trim is applied around the window.
30: JayMi paints the Upper bathroom.
30: No drive day.
31: Mental health day.
31: The shed's west fascia is removed and replaced. All fascia work completed.
31: Remainder of the OSB pieces applied to the west wall of the shed. All that is left is the door.
31: Wife paints the west side wall of shed.
31: Triple-digit heat (4 days): 16-103.6; 17-104.4; 18-101.5; 28-101.7. 2014: 3 days of triple-digit heat.
31: Rain: 0.01. 2014: 0.00.
SEPTEMBER 2015
1: Canned lights installed in Upper bathroom.
2: I take my wife to the airport for her manager's meeting in Sin City.
2: Lowe's purchase: 250-foot roll of 14-2 wire with ground.
2: MIL returns from the City of Roses area. I pick her up at the airport. At the airport in the morning and in the evening. A first.
2: Grassfire between Road 406 and Road 200.
3: For the first time at our new office digs, it is straight to work in the morning and straight to home in the evening. Well, a small detour to the gym, then home.
3: Upper bathroom lights operational.
4: My wife returns.
4: Baja Fresh night.
5: Stuff is moved out of the shed to install new OSB plywood flooring.
6: OSB plywood flooring installed. Floor joists reinforced to eliminate the sagging.
6: No drive day.
7: Trim from scrap wood is installed along the floor of the shed.
7: Stuff moved back into shed. Trim applied to three of the four corners. The shed is "rearranged."
7: No drive day.
8: Gas $2.799.
8: Lowe's purchase: Contractor pack of clear caulk.
8: Our new trash containers arrive. One for trash, the other for recycles.
9: Some of the floor tile installed on the Upper bathroom.
10: The Upper toilet is now operational.
12: Moved MIL stuff from storage to den.
12: Ripped off old roofing on shed.
12: Purchased new wheelbarrow from True Value.
13: Dump run.
14: Sundance Fire: On Road 420 and SR-41.
14: Rain. 0.28.
15: Rain. 0.09.
15: Gas $2.719.
15: Lowe's purchase: 3 rolls of roofing, roofing nails, and roofing sealant.
15: Costco run: toilet paper, salmon burgers, quinoa, organic blueberries, detergent, tissues, chicken, turkey slices, avocados, dog food.
16: Lights flickering in the kitchen, dining room, and the refrigerator is acting up with it. Bay window lights and the lights above the sink are not flickering.
16: Upper bathroom door installed sans doorknobs.
17: Lowe's purchase: 5 sheets 15/32 OSB plywood, 8 2x4x8, and one sheet of pegboard.
17: More tiling to the Upper bathroom done. Hot and cold water running.
18: Whole Foods run.
18: Chipotle night.
19: We attend the funeral of my wife's assistant district manager's mother who passed away on September 11.
19: Whole Foods for shopping and lunch.
19: Lowe's purchase: flashing, two 2x4x8, fire extinguisher, smoke detector.
19: Flashing is applied to the shed extension.
20: New OSB roof for the shed.
20: No drive day.
21: Today was going to be my wife's first day of teleworking. However, due to limited 4G coverage, she had to go into work. When we got back home, she tried again. She forgot an "important step" in the logging on process. She is happy now.
22: More tile is applied to the shower walls in the Upper bathroom, the shower hardwear in place, the Upper window is framed, and the doorknob put on the Upper bathroom door.
23: Truck "warshed" and oil changed.
24: Upper shower operational.
25: Gas $2.639.
25: Lowe's purchase: roll of black paper, flashing, AA, AAA, and D batteries, and six 2x4x8s.
26: Growing back my Van Dyck.
28: To the beach! San Elijo. MIL, my wife and I drive down south.
29: Beach. San Elijo.
29: No drive day.
30: MIL 85th birthday. Rhonda and Tim, Phyllis and Steve, Patricia and Christina, Gina and Sherry celebrate at the beach.
30: Beach. San Elijo.
30: No drive day.
30: Triple-digit heat (2 days): 9-101.5; 10-101.7. 2014: 3 days of triple-digit heat.
30: Rain: 0.37. 2014: 1.27.
OCTOBER 2015
1: Rain 0.15 inches.
1: Beach. San Elijo.
1: No drive day.
2: Return home.
3: Black paper on roof of shed. Roof rafters reinforced.
3: No drive day.
4: Flashing applied around the roof line of the shed.
5: Gas $2.559.
5: Chiropractor for my wife.
6: We use our new trash and recycle containers for the first time.
8: Gas $2.559.
8: Lowe's purchase: one mirrored closet door for the Upper.
8: My wife gets a manicure and pedicure.
9: Haircut.
10: We check in to the SpringHill Suites near Sacramento airport.
10: To Elk Grove for DusTin and SaRah's wedding.
10: We dine at Sammy's in Stones Gambling Hall in Citrus Heights. The entire dinner was compliments of the restaurant owner, Ty.
11: We stop to look at travel trailers at the Best RV in Turlock. Our sights are focused on a 19-foot Rockwood Roo expandable hybrid travel trailer.
12: Columbus Day. Wife has the day off so she and JayMi clean the house thoroughly.
12: Costco run: quinoa, muffins, dishwashing soap, dog food, liquid bath soap, olive oil, flaxseed oil.
12: Gas $2.539.
13: Replaced wiper blades on truck.
13: Upper bathroom cabinets installed.
13: Upper closet framed and mirrored doors in place.
15: Gas $2.539.
15: Tile on the Upper sink.
15: A 0.01 sprinkle.
16: Baja Fresh night.
17: Rain. 0.02. That ain't right! I say at least 0.25 inches.
17: Gar(b)age sale. Our first one at our home. Most of the items are my MIL's. GaRy and JaNell help with the sale.
17: Drake is now "three to pee" and not "four on the floor." He is a big boy now.
18: Rain, but no measurements. That ain't right! Guessing at least 0.25 inches.
18: Recycle run.
18: Gar(b)age sale.
19: Blood work.
19: Gas $2.499.
19: Wife's first day of "tworking."
19: Wood burning stove is fired up.
22: Gas $2.479.
22: First day at my new position.
23: Baja Fresh night.
24: Gar(b)age sale II.
24: Upper bathroom textured on the outside wall and on the closet.
24: Rolled shingle on top of shed.
25: Gar(b)age sale II.
25: Trim applied to south wall of shed.
25: JayMi off to SoCal.
26: Gas $2.479.
26: JayMi's birthday.
26: Bear sighting near the trash receptacle.
27: Bear returns again.
27: I finished assembling 49 chairs for my wife's office.
27: The drawers are installed for the Upper bathroom sink.
28: Rain: 0.32 inches.
28: Doctor appointment.
29: Gas $2.479.
29: Costco run: LED remodel lights, chicken, detergent, candy.
30: The first year of my "second mom's" passing.
30: Lowe's: paint, shingle roll, paint accessories, a pair of pliers.
30: Baja Fresh night.
31: Upper cabinet next to shower installed. My wife paints the Upper bathroom walls and the closet. Knobs installed on all doors and drawers.
31: Roofing project done on the shed extension. All that is left is to make a door for the shed and install some double-paned windows betweent the extension pillars.
31: A cord of oak is purchased and delivered.
31: JayMi returns from SoCal.
31: Rain: 0.98. 2014: 0.96.
NOVEMBER 2015
1: We go for a walk around our neighborhood with the dogs.
1: Electric blanket on!
2: Rain: 2.41 inches!
3: Rain: 0.21.
3: Gas $2.439.
3: Lowe's purchase: Fifty foot roll of 10-2 wire with ground and 1/2 inch pipe insulation.
4: The last one of the 50 chairs are assembled for my wife's office. My "legacy" project started on June 30 is now over.
4: Lowe's purchase: 3 sheets of 1/2 OSB plywood.
4: The last of the Upper bathroom cabinets are installed.
5: Sasha is vomiting.
6: Sasha vomiting again.
6: Gas $2.459.
6: To Hayward to see KC and EriKa.
7: OSB plywood on the top of the Upper bathroom for the future storage site.
8: Return from Hayward.
8: Sprinkle 0.05 inches.
9: We see a retirement specialist.
9: Our pool table light arrives.
9: Rain 0.75 inches.
10: Gas $2.439.
11: Baja Fresh night.
11: My wife stumbles on the back landing and dislocates her right shoulder. As she was thinking of calling an ambulance, it popped back into place.
12: Gas $2.439.
13: Vacation to Canby.
14: Vacation to Canby.
15: Vacation to Canby.
15: Rain 0.99 inches.
16: To Kent, WA.
17: Vacation to Portland and Seattle areas.
17: We visit the REI Flagship store in Seattle.
17: We eat at Ivars on the Pier.
17: We get hit with a "Norwester" south of Tacoma.
17: We get a hotel room in Olympia.
18: We vist the state capitol.
18: We swing through Astoria, OR.
19: We see Britt and Erin and Marti in Portland.
20: Return.
20: We shop at IKEA in West Sacramento.
20: The east bay window get a "sunrise."
20: Chipotle night.
22: We get lumber from Paul Vining for the den floor.
22: The pegboard is up in the shed.
22: GaRy B. brings over his shop tools.
23: Gas $2.379.
25: Another day, only with snow! A first since living in California. Got a gift card from MIL, a T-shirt from my wife, a D-light from KC, and a personalized homemade coat hanger.
25: Propane tank moved.
26: Thanksgiving: Me, my wife, MIL, JayMi, KC, Uncle T, Aunt C, NaTale, Tre, and Aunt C's sister, Leslie. It was Uncle T's 70th birthday.
26: No drive day.
27: We go see Uncle T's cabin.
29: Rough cut ponderosa pine planks cut and planed.
29: I shave off my Van Dyck I grew since September 30, 2015.
29: No drive day.
30: Gas $2.339.
30: Windshield replaced on truck. Damage was done in the summer of 2014. Just now got around to replacing it $195.00 later.
30: Rain: 5.36. 2014: 2.36.
DECEMBER 2015
1: Truck oil change.
1: Haircut.
4: Gas $2.289.
4: Chipotle night.
5: I purchase my third belt sander from Sears.
5: We plane more of the rough cut ponderosa pine.
6: We get a live tree for Christmas.
7: Sasha and Drake are one year old.
8: Gas $2.289.
8: Truck smogged.
9: Solar tube in place in the den.
11: Gas $2.289.
12: My wife, MIL, and I head down to Orange County for the annual family holiday party.
13: We return.
13: Rain and snow.
14: My wife teleworks.
15: Truck engine is acting up.
15: East bay window knotty pine installed in bench area.
16: More work done on the east bay window.
17: Gas $2.259.
17: Purchased a new gas cap to see if the check engine light will go off.
17: Baja Fresh night.
18: East bay window done.
19: Mailed off package to my mother in Japan.
21: Gas $2.239.
21: Rain 2.41.
22: Purchased a pair of galoshes. Whoda thunk?
22: Received package from my mother in Japan.
22: Replace the oxygen sensors in the truck. No more "Check Engine" light.
22: Rain 2.32.
23: Delivered homemade baklava, homemade fudge, and homemade canned pickles to our neighbors, Klaus and Gail, and to Uncle T and Aunt C.
25: A full moon and a white Christmas. Two and a half inches fell Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. KC, EriKa, my wife, MIL, JayMi, and I celebrate with turkey and ham and all of the trimmings! Two long-sleeved tees, underwear, a small flashlight, Lottery scratchers (nothing), a book "Geological Ramblingsabout Yosemite, rice crackers, green tea, windshield scraper. No gift cards this year!
25: I pull my right quadricep. My left foot slipped and in trying to regain my balance I felt a pull in my right quadricep.
26: Sasha and Drake's doghouse arrives.
26: MIL's hose bib cracks and water spewing. Repaired.
26: KC, EriKa, my wife and I go see "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
30: Gas $2.339.
30: Baja Fresh night. Final one of the year.
31: We take my MIL to Fresno for cataract surgery.
31: Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino opens for the first time since October 10, 2014.
31: Weight: 213.8.
31: Rain 8.84. 2014: 5.41.
Pushups: 109,900 / 1,547,900
Crunches: 181,400 / 1,996,300
Pullups: 580 / 38,440
Bardips: 580 / 37,970
Vertical knee raises: 580 / 25,040
Walk/hike/run: 131.00 / 49:31:37 / 194.61 / 73:33:42
2015 Resolutions:
Have fun.
Get out and hike more.
See more movies.
Get the house renovations D-O-N-E!!!
Highlights:
My wife catching her first fish at Bass Lake. (01-04-15)
We welcome two new additions to our family, Sasha and Drake. (04-09-15)
Camping on July 4th at Aspen campground outside of Lee Vining.
Snowing on my birthday.
My first full moonlight white Christmas in California. The next Christmas full moon will be 2034. Can't wait!
We hiked more this year than last. 131.00 miles as compared to 63.61 last year.
Lowlights:
Not losing the 10 pounds. Went up from 207.2 to 213.8.
2015 Movies:
American Sniper (01-18-15)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (02-21-15)
McFarland, USA (03-01-15)
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (12-26-15)
Special Events:
None.
Total cement siding planks purchased since 09-27-13:
09-27-13: 12
11-23-13: 22
03-02-14: 30
03-17-14: 15
06-28-14: 10
01-12-15: 7
Total: 96
Total cement siding sheets:
06-28-14: 10
12-05-14: 11
03-20-15: 35
Total: 56
What happened in 2015.
