the right colour

Can you find the White Rabbit?

British artist Jaz Parkinson created a Color Image for several books based on the color imagery in the story.

Smithsonian

an open field

Mom wanted to continue on to the barn, (my original plan), so I switched out her cane for the walker and on we went.

courtyard of the big barn

Spa time in the barn

1st class accommodations

So much better then my original plan.

Mom and I decided, 

that she had probably walked more this day,

 then she does in the average month.

One last picture

horse on wheels

Thought this was going to be the best we could do

We over heard the Welcome Center people mention that the Team would be practicing in the lots as their first public outing in an hour

Mom walked with her cane across a closed off parking lot  and as far up the roadway as she felt up to.  I carried lunch and the folding chairs.  We found a nice spot under a shade tree, ate lunch and waited for the "parade"

I moved closer to make sure they were really going to come down.  I returned and assured her they would be coming along shortly.

The Nebraska girl, 

who I thought would enjoy the horses, 

only wanted to know if 

The Dog was there!

  He posed constantly and he ruled the roost.  He tapped the drivers on the shoulder to shift them around according to where he wanted to go or sit

followed by the Clean-up Patrol

counldn't guess

One Saturday, I was trying to think of some place to take Mom.  She used to work for a local A.-B. Distributor . . . so thought maybe going to Merrimack N.H. to check out the A.-B. horse barns would be fun.  

The many times I have visited, I have NEVER seen THE Team there!

Ever!

. . . til now.

PS
sorry, I just love those feet

dance about

We made a point of going out for some fun times too.

picniced at some interesting tables

                       

Ice cream and Cruise night

Detroit Tigers in New England
the new Escape . . . by the way
Nothing like the weekly Town Military Band Concert on the common

looking-glass house

mirror-mirror

We left my Mother's condo for Vacation, we had just survived sewage issues.

surprise!

the first load of clothes turned into a combination doing the laundry and cleaning the basement floor with THE sudsy water.

the septic

time to start digging a hole so they can drain the septic tank.

yes, those are YARD sticks . . . the concrete weight in the fore-ground sits atop a square steel cover


I looked at it as an opportunity to plan location for the 3 season porch I would like to put in some day

. . . continuing on from our duplicate sewage issues . . . while we were home, some idiot decided to rob the local bank June 6th.  Let me clarify idiot . . . he left the bank in a truck described by the Police as flamboyant.  Red and Orange pickup with a Blue tarp in back, Orange Light Bar on top of the cab, and Silver Paint splashed along the bottom.  He was caught the same day in the next town.

Here, July 3, some guy decided to wave a gun in the Meijers, 'round the corner, full of employees, shoppers, construction workers and rob the in-store bank.  They got a straight on full face picture of him suitable for framing.  3rd strike, by the way.

Where was I . . . oh yeah, supposedly, vacation!

coming and going

always tea-time

Vacation?

We planned a 2 week sojourn to my Home in New England.

A 740 mile trip certainly cut into my learning curve on a new vehicle.  Nothing like now or never on learning features, how to pack it, and what fits and where for access!  I do like the new Escape.

Home chores topped the list, with the usual projects in opening a house that's been closed for the "season."

1. stain the newly installed side entry
2. call about replacing the side doors (solid and storm) 
3. prime the affected side of the house

that last one . . . I sooo sounded like a nurse.

before ANY repairs . . . I was redoing the trim last year before the rip-out and replacement of the driveway

the trim looks good . . . they will find 8 feet of sill rotted . . . I knew the high probability of this

looks like a deck . . . dark gray composite floor and banister

tah-dah, a Porch . . . still need to prime the wall

I did get those done, despite other set-backs yet to be mentioned.  NewPro, just called to say the doors are in . . . called my beloved neighbor . . . Hooray, a door that doesn't let the winter breeze in!

rest of the way

plumbing  a
tiling         a
new car    a

2 week trip HOME

to

New England

ROAD TRIP!     a



PS
already been and back
I'm a little behind.

eager for the treat

A Dogs Life

indeed

Dogs who ride with their people to the Bank drive up . . . often get treats from nice Tellers.

I have the ONLY dogs, that I know of . . .

who go on their morning walk, 

and get treats delivered to them by 

Meals on Wheels.  

Volunteers, from Meals on Wheels, drive through the Condo Circle to make a daily delivery about the time we are out for Jack and Pepper's morning constitutional.  The dogs are always greeted by name, and I, their "caretaker" am given a handful of treats to be distributed.

They recognize the vehicles, and are always quite excited.

all stopped

Small plumbing Issue

My Mother's home = The condo

The condo is a semi-detached ranch with a finished basement.

There are 2 other attached units to the one side of their unit.  (they look like 3 individual houses . . .very close)

My parents have had "ebb and flow" drain issues in the downstairs furnace room, associated with the running of the main floor washing machine since the condo was built.  (water, debris, and occasional sewage smell, usually only a 4'x4' area on concrete)

dry-vac-sweep-bleach-scrub-dehumidifier

The condo is the last "track" out to the "main line" for all 3 units.

The general plumbing issues have escalated, sluggish drains, sluggish/stopped toilets, etc.  (nothing outrageous, but now pretty much ALL plumbing outlets in her condo)

After much struggle, and consultation with plumbing experts and Association Board members, the Association "Handy-man" Contractor recommended a video snaking.  The Board actually said they would pay for it!  (so many people wanted to watch this procedure, that I considered selling tickets at the door)

The video plumber, (recorded to a flash drive . . . cool), showed me what he thought the issue was, a system plug just sitting sideways in the main line to the street, (under the basement bathroom, just at the "outside" wall).

The Association "Handy-man" Contractor and crew started with crow-bars on the tile and a giant drill for the concrete.

that's my wee size 11 women's foot

Six inches later, it became apparent, a jack hammer was needed.  (Mom, in the Den immediately above, thought her recliner had a vibrate/massage setting she couldn't turn off.  I tried to convince her it was "live action" experience for the ballgame she was watching . . . I don't think she bought it!)

Many shovelfuls of dirt and pea gravel later, they met the water table and the pipe.  A 6 inch pipe, (I gathered he wasn't expecting this depth or size.  I think I was the only one that understood what the "video plumber" had explained of his suspicions),  much bigger then he could get at the local HOME Store for the repair.

(For reasons that become obvious, I did NOT use "my" bathroom that night.  Just shut the door and walk away)

Today they came back to bail, cut, remove the mystery obstruction, repair pipe, back fill, and pour new concrete.

that is an end cap rubber and metal plug

Before anything was built, they laid the street plan with water, storm, and sewage.  From the sewer, they connected main lines that would go to each building and capped them until the individual build and plumbing hook-ups could be done.  The idea is to REMOVE the plug when the connection is made . . . this was lazy/stupid/incompetence.

My parents bought this newly built condo 14 years ago.  It has been sitting sideways in the main line pipe, and every time "things" started to build up behind it, they would have a problem.  And until things become Disastrous here, the other two units do not experience any problems.

Several other owners, in the development, who are also the last "track" out to the "main line" for their buildings, have had similar issues . . . I have a sneaking suspicion I know what the problem is.

Tomorrow, tile, peace, and drainage.

see it pop

It's baseball season.

Mom is very faithful to her Detroit Tigers . . .

but also watches all the California teams . . .

OK, 

let's throw in the Ohio teams too.

I, who do not watch ANY sports, have learned her preferences for the various seasons, (Nascar, college football, skiing, snow boarding, street boarding, gymnastics, swimming, diving, bull riding, and ballroom dancing), and therefore what to search for on the TV schedule.

The dogs, usually have very little interest when she is in the Den watching TV, until today.
I had run out of the Condo to help a neighbor with an emergency situation and I am sure the dogs picked up on the urgency of the phone call I had received.
When I came back, she regaled me with tales, of how they both climbed up on the chair to snuggle.
She asked me to put Jack back up with her, and then accepted when I offered to pop her usual game time Popcorn.

Next thing I know she's offering it to Jack.  Then she's amused that he's waiting for his next bite.  Then she's slightly taken aback when she sets the bag down and he offers to get his own out of the bag.

I told her, she's in for it now.  Every bag is going to have his name on it . . . as far as HE is concerned.

From now on, she will have company when she watches her games!

the race was over. However,

4/19/2013

8:45 p.m.

Now, it's time to heal, repair, mourn, question, answer, and meet our new normal.

It is time to be part of the solution.

http://onefundboston.org/

www.patriots.com/donate