Apropos of Nothing...Best Stocking Gift Ever

Santa gave me the best gift ever in my stocking this year: Sculpt Your Own Boyfriend

From the box:
Can't get your own? Sculpt Your Own Boyfriend
Make the boyfriend of your dreams. Create the perfect boyfriend with this Sculpt Your Own kit. It contains all you need to make a perfect man of your very own. Ooh-La-La!

Inside the box are sculpting instructions, including "special variations" to try: French Man; Geek Chic; The Punk; Mr. Punctual; The Fiancé; The Hunk; Surf Dude; Big Feet; Hairy Hippy; Movie Star; Gangster; Dancer; Millionaire; Policeman; Baldie; Shortie; Retro; Gymnast; Rockstar; Tall, Dark, and Handmade; Posh Chap; Fireman; Mr. Sensitive; Prince Charming; and The Classic Bloke.

Also inside the box is a backdrop for this ideal man. (I'm not sure how seeing this man in his man cave [complete with scantily-clad-woman poster] is attractive, exactly, but still...)

Too funny!

Update 1 Jan 2016: I've been mulling this over (clearly I have way too much time for mulling at the moment!), and I'm thinking this item was made by men who are guessing what women want. What do you think? Here are some of the "special variations" I would include in such a kit: Cat Lover, Honest & True, Mr. Mechanical, Chef, Domestic God, Partner in Projects (Who Does Not Have to Be Boss), Mr. Supportive/Cheerleader, Partner in Giggles, Generous of Spirit, Mr. Volunteer, Mr. Friend to All Children, Present and Aware.

Merry Christmas! (Siding-West Wall-9)

I managed to get a few shingles installed today. Couldn't do more and still get ready for Christmas. Here is one of the more weirdly-shaped shingles I installed.

Looks done, doesn't it? Not quite; no celebrating yet. Only the underneath layers are done. The last few rows (from the blue lines up) still have to be installed.

Merry Christmas everyone...

...from my house to yours.

Also see:
Siding (West Wall) 1
Siding (West Wall) 2
Siding (West Wall) 3
Siding (West Wall) 4
Siding (West Wall) 5
Siding (West Wall) 6
Siding (West Wall) 7
Siding (West Wall) 8
Siding (West Wall) 10

Siding (West Wall) 8

I installed a few more rows of shingles today.

First one row...

Then another.

So close! Just a few more shingles left to install on this end. Not sure when that will happen, with work and Christmas this next week, but--still--it's exciting!

Also see:
Siding (West Wall) 1
Siding (West Wall) 2
Siding (West Wall) 3
Siding (West Wall) 4
Siding (West Wall) 5
Siding (West Wall) 6
Siding (West Wall) 7
Siding (West Wall) 9
Siding (West Wall) 10


Moonrise over the JayBee on a cold, clear winter day.

Siding (West Wall) 7

It was a blustery day today, with on-and-off snow flurries all day. I was not going to let that deter me. And, even though every shingle had to be custom cut to fit, I made some good progress.

Here is another row done, and the next one marked out.

Another row done (with another one marked out).

Another row done. Yup, it was dark when I finished.

Also see:
Siding (West Wall) 1
Siding (West Wall) 2
Siding (West Wall) 3
Siding (West Wall) 4
Siding (West Wall) 5
Siding (West Wall) 6
Siding (West Wall) 8
Siding (West Wall) 9
Siding (West Wall) 10


George seems to be loving Christmas preparations this year. Here he is snuggled up with a present.

Siding (West Wall) 6

Rain, rain, rain. The last few days have been dark and rainy. Even though today began with no rain, everything was so sopping wet, I waited until afternoon to take up the shingling project on the west end. Wet, wet, wet.

Here is everything all set up for shingling. It took me a few minutes to recreate my routine since it has been awhile.

I was zipping along--had installed four or five shingles--when I realized I was neglecting to stain the cut edges. Oops! By the end of the first row, I was back in the swing of it.

Also by the end of the first row, it was raining again. Progress will be slow at this rate.

Also see:
Siding (West Wall) 1
Siding (West Wall) 2
Siding (West Wall) 3
Siding (West Wall) 4
Siding (West Wall) 5
Siding (West Wall) 7
Siding (West Wall) 8
Siding (West Wall) 9
Siding (West Wall) 10


Bear was supervising today.

I have added some window candles to the most viewable windows of the JayBee. They are battery powered, and they turn on automatically when dusk sets in. Ho ho ho!

You can't tell from the still photos, but they flicker like candles.

Window Trim is DONE! (Window Trim 9)

Window trim installed on the west awning window.

Here are the metal trim flashing pieces--ready to be installed.

After installing the metal flashing.

All window trim is now done.

Also see:
Window Trim 1
Window Trim 2
Window Trim 3
Window Trim 4
Window Trim 5
Window Trim 6
Window Trim 7
Window Trim 8


Since it was pretty warm today (high 40s), I decided to tackle a big windowsill project. I have been noticing for some time that the JayBee's windowsills are turning black.

I thought it was mold, but the only windowsill not affected is the one on the north side, which is the one I would imagine would be the most affected. Maybe it's just advanced weathering? In any case, I decided to try to slow the progress of this blackening. Since I had several steps planned for this treatment, and the sills would need to dry between steps, I decided to start first thing. I went out while I was still in my jammies--to brush bleach water onto the sills--and startled four deer who were grazing on the septic field. We all had quite a fright! After making that sharp huffing noise they make when they're startled and warning each other, they took off into the woods. After the bleach dried, I went around and re-stained the windowsills. After the stain dried, I added a layer of the exterior varnish I have used on outdoor furniture. It's probably the only layer I will get on there before the snow flies.

Finally, before the sun set completely, I added blue tape lines to the west end. What does this mean?

...

Yes, you're right; the tape lines will help me add a row of shingles! Not sure when that will happen, exactly... Maybe next weekend?

Window Trim 8

These last few weekends have been gloriously, unseasonably warm. In addition to cleaning out the garage and getting the old house ready for the winter, I have been working on the window trim for the two awning windows. So many steps involved. First, cutting the pieces. Bear "helped" with the cutting.

Then, I glued up the pieces.

And stained them.

If this trim looks a bit dark, there is a good reason for that. When I cleaned out the garage, I found some great (previously forgotten) cedar pieces that I decided to use for this trim. (The trim around the other windows is poplar.) Even though I used the same cedar stain on this trim that I used for everything else, the fact that the wood is naturally darker to begin with means it has ended up being a slightly darker shade than the other window trim.

I also had to make all the metal flashing pieces that sit on top of the window trim, and paint them. (Forgot to take pictures of that part.)

Here is the trim installed around the east awning window. A little weird, I know, that the trim has no bottom piece that runs underneath the window, but there is not enough clearance between the window and bumpout roof to fit a piece of trim in there.  I'm hoping it will look less weird once the shingles are all installed.

Here is the window with the metal flashing installed on top of the window trim. All done! Yes, it was dark enough that the motion-sensing, light/dark-sensing, outdoor light came on. Since it's dark by 4:30 these days, it seems like I'm always working in the semi-dark.

Also see:
Window Trim 1
Window Trim 2
Window Trim 3
Window Trim 4
Window Trim 5
Window Trim 6
Window Trim 7


Nice days to walk along the river.

Bear has been a nice tag-along walking companion.

Today, I was up on the roof of the old house--strategically applying roofing tar, in order to limp that poor old roof through yet one more winter.

Great views of the river from up here!

Also a great view of the moss garden growing on the part of the roof I never dare go out on, since it is so decrepit.

The JayBee always looks like a toy house from up here.

Last Bit of Roofing! (Roofing 17)

I finished the roofing on the west bumpout today. That means all the windows are done. All the roofing is done. Woo hoo!

Also see:
Roofing 1
Roofing 2
Roofing 3
Roofing 4
Roofing 5
Roofing 6
Roofing 7
Roofing 8
Roofing 9
Roofing 10
Roofing 11
Roofing 12
Roofing 13
Roofing 14
Roofing 15
Roofing 16

West Awning Window (x2!)

The west awning window is the last window I had left to install. I must not have wanted the window installing to end, because I installed the west awning window today--twice. Yes, you read that correctly. I installed the window TWICE.

Let me start from the beginning...

I cut the housewrap to create the opening for the window.

This is the window fully installed, shimmed, and flashed--the first time.

When I installed the interior window hardware and cranked the window open, it was immediately clear that I'd installed it wrong! The window opened to the side instead of from the bottom. Stupid, stupid mistake. (I had assumed the latch belonged on the side of the window, but this window is a Pella window--all the others are Andersens--and the crank goes on the side, the latch on the bottom.)

I quickly started dismantling the entire installation. I told myself to move quickly; I was afraid if I hesitated, I would be tempted to leave the window installed wrong.

After pulling the window out and re-installing it, it actually opened correctly!

The window fully installed--the second time!

Before the sun went down, I managed to install the roofing on the three surfaces of the west bumpout. Five pieces of roof trim come next.

First snow fell last week. Even though it was only a dusting, it stuck around (in north side shadows) for days! And so it begins.

Every time there is a heavy frost, I gaze at the roof on the JayBee and smile.

George basking in the sun today.

Various recent moon and river shots...