Welcome to the January 2006 BLOG. Didn't see the end of last month?
Click here: December 05 BLOG

Jan 30, 2006 Mon

Geez, we hope there are thirty one days in this month - just not ready to start a new one.

That vacuum cleaner (shop vac) is sitting in Evelyn's new bathroom.

This is what most of the attic used to look like, unless you were standing right in the middle. (Except some of the floor joists are new.)

The efforts of these two guys - Tom and John - is why it looks so much bigger and better, these days.


A grown up (mostly) puppy - Tizzy at six months. BIG!

Ann's words - "You can't really have too many Toy Fox Terriers."

Evelyn standing by the THREE eggs that the hens finally produced. "Why do I have to be in the picture?"

It took some placebo eggs in the laying box to inspire the old hens - but it worked. Fresh eggs!

House from the street, today

Look! I'm smiling!

Jan 29, 2006 Sun

Now THIS was fun - a video/phone conference. Using
Skype.  This is free. (We're a bit skeptical of anything that suggests 'forever', having dealt with several 'lifetime' guarantees, over the years.) But everything we did today, was free.

All you need is a video card (in this day and age, that means a computer), a mic plus speakers, and an internet (web cam) camera if you want the video. You can talk (or type) back and forth, w/o the video camera. There is no charge for using the camera, or anything Skype, either. Unless you chose to go after the 'extra's'. Which, we haven't.

Adam, my younger brother (in MI), brought Dad and Fran over this morning/afternoon. Anne fed them breakfast/brunch! Thank you, Anne of the East! John (my other younger brother) came online from Egypt. We had a three way Skype hook up! This was big fun. Cool technology. Skype allowed us to 'see' each other, if we were online one to each. To 'conference' (three way), meant - alas- no video, (coming soon!) but very good voice, with none of the usual technical problems. We're still comparing Skype to other video conferencing utilities - i.e. Yahoo, MSN, etc. We're still unhappy with AIM, or anything AOL. (Which seems to and does take over one's entire computer. So, alas, they won't even be considered.) Yahoo allowed video conferencing with three participants, as long ago as 1999 - maybe even earlier? But, a very small picture, which updated slowly, when it did. To be fair, that was using dial up. Today's picture was decent at 5 X 7 inches, and we think it was the low quality of the entry level Logitec webcamera(s) that was holding us back from a really outstanding video picture. We'll just see, after, perhaps, a camera upgrade?

Now. Here's my friend Robert - trying not to look stern. Thus, the mouse ears. We've been going back and forth on the subject of 'sternness'. I accuse Robert of not smiling enough. He sends back pictures of his own self with mouse ears, suggesting non sternness. I maintain that mouse ears alone do not constitute 'smiling'.

One might note the hint of a smile when Robert is sandwiched between two lovely young ladies? A HAH!

Upstairs room closed in for the weekend. Can you say, 'Flapping tarps?' Boy, have we had the wind and rain! Better over the weekend, is what we are hoping. No leaks!

Here's my grandson, Hogan - Hey! That's my favorite non activity! A good nap!

Brett's fish tank -

Nail gun - Whoa - now I need to think up something to build? I traded my unused router for this. . .
Scary looking huh?

Jan 27, 2006 Fri

Annabelle, feeling a tad better, this Friday. This, after nearly a week of sore throat and cough, which finally required a couple days in actual bed.

Sunshine favors the west dormer taking shape. Scaffolding in place for the outside work.

This was yesterday - things are moving fast.


View west and south, from the west dormer. This was today, early.

View from the docks, as the Kitsap gets returned to service.

Dormer view - to the north, from the west side dormer.

Backyard to frontyard view of the west dormer. Can you tell how much fun this is?

Jan 26, 2006 Thu

We got ourselves spiffed up for a picture last evening. The picture will be in the St. Mary's member's section of the church yearly bulletin magazine. Or some such. Since it's just a 'head and shoulders' shot, we are dressed over blue jeans.

Evelyn was beside herself with enthusiasm for this project.

Jack insists that the fire (pictured below, on Tuesday) was miles from his home, and it's therefore no wonder he slept through it. He includes this map, showing his actual residence in Knoxville (IL) which is some distance from Galesburg. It's like the way I tell folks that I'm from Detroit - because they may at least have heard of it, whereas Royal Oak, MI usually draws a blank. And for Jack, Knoxville is usually thought to be in TN, so he just says - Galesburg. Even that's a pretty small place, there on the mainline, going south through IL. Galesburg used to be an Amtrak crewbase, in the good ol' days.

The inside view of the new westside dormer tarped for the night. Sure is loud in our bedroom when the midnight winds and rains come! Stayed nice and dry, though. The feeling inside the tarped attic is reminiscent of various childhood 'clubhouses' that we kids tried to make, many moons ago.

The fellows (Tom and John, no Mitch today) are already on the case, before 8 AM.
Here's Mitch (the muscle) helping out with the heavy lifting, yesterday.

Jan 25, 2006 Wed

Whoa! West side dormer coming online.

The girls on the way to ballet, yesterday.

The fellows cutting the second dormer - this morning. One of these days this will be Evelyn's bedroom, with her own bath, and her own upstairs guest room for a friend.

Jan 24, 2006 Tue

Skype! Yipe! Try it, you'll like it! It's FREE!

As promised - Cassady's final birthday humiliation - blowing out the candles. There is a video that goes with this - that we are trying to learn.

Jack reports that he slept through this terrible fire in his hometown. That would be, Galesburg. The fire was in Jan, '06.

The Kitsap is getting a new prop and rudder - seems like she was just in here for that? Must've hit something?

Fresh CRAB - in each and every bin - these will never be frozen - FLASH or otherwise. Really fresh!

Jan 23, 2006 Mon

Celebrating Cass's birthday (this was on Saturday) (actual birthday - Friday) - Talyn, Ann, Evelyn and Cass. And Tizzy. Cass appears a tad 'iffy' about the whole idea?!

Photo ops are not Cass's main thing, we think? Tomorrow we'll post the shot of him blowing out the candles!

Tizzy finds me - relaxing in the tub

My aloof cat! This would be Jasper. The cross eyed one.

Paul writes:

We went out Sat. the 21st to Patos island (and a quick stop on Sucia island) from Bellingham. The water was very choppy and made for a bouncy, rough ride! Eric, Debra, Anna, Heidi, Chris ( a friend of Eric's) and Paul. This little island is about as far north as the state goes... just beyond is Oh Canada. We hiked to the lighthouse, which is now closed, and explored the shoreline on the way back to the boat. Paul

The fellows are hard at it - up there on the second floor (now that we have one!) doing the 'down through the wall' plumbing stuff required for an upstairs bathroom. Ann and Evie picked out fixtures over the weekend.

Jan 22, 2006 Sun

Robert sends some shots from the LA area - using the NEW camera.
Although retired from the PD, Robert still fits into his class 'A's'. I guess I started this, by suggesting that I still fit into my last Amtrak uniform. Barely. I'll also have to admit that I can't lay my hands on that self same uniform at the moment - due to the house being topsy turvy with remodeling effort. And, after a brief search - I can't find my uniform. Ann says it's in a box, marked either uniform or hats. No luck, so far.

A request for a 'less severe/more smiley' picture from Robert brought us this one:

And also this one - of the kids down the block doing serious soccer practice - Robert is learning a new digital camera, and has already surpassed my wildest expectations. Looking forward to more - The one below says: SCORE!

Jan 20, 2006 Fri

YES! This is who you think it is. Niomi, circa 78. Age at the time? Sixteen. Well, no more secrets.

Ni, and Ann and I, last year -~~

Whoa! Windows - make it look official. None of last night's rains came into the attic - a fine job of tarping. This small area will actually be a guest sleeping space - room for a bed, etc. One of those, ahhh, fond memories - 'under the eaves' rooms.

The forgotten view - up the hill -

View out the uphill side window -

More materials

All buttoned up for the rains.

Front dormer pretty much finished. Now imagine it continuing on down the roof, until it meets the one coming out the side? And then continuing past that a few more feet, to a tail off mini dorm facing into the back yard. Clear as mud, no? The bottom line (we are fervently hoping) is that Evelyn will move upstairs, and with room to spare.

Jan 19, 2006 Thu

The Mayor's January weblog

The dormer survived the overnight rains - and is seen here first thing this morning, still tarped for overnight - didn't leak.

Bay view from the front dormer - an added bonus. Thanks to Tom and John for the side window idea!

The house seen from our corner

Paul stops by to see what's what? Can you say, Hurricane clips?

Now I know what a 'prolam' beam is - heavy, stronger than a solid piece of wood the same size, laminated. They go under bearing walls, you see.

The front dormer taking shape, yesterday.

Checking out the view

Ev and Friend

Upstairs view. Sure seems funny to hear folks running up and down stairs - something never before heard in THIS house.

My friend Noah, from next door.

Jan 17, 2006 Tue

Sure is bright in the attic today -

Oh - Well, this explains it - a giant hole in the roof. Made by those guys - John and Tom.

Hey! We can see the water - and from the front dormer, at that.

Sticking our heads through the hole in the roof.

Tom doing his thing. That's John, in the background.

stairway to heaven. . .

Brett sends along pix of Hogan. He noted that Hogan got out ALL his toys, and then promptly fell asleep.

Tired of talking to a computer? Being told to wait and push buttons? NO LONGER~! Keith sends along this swell link  to a page that tells how to reach a real live person, for most companies!

Jan 16, 2006 Mon

It's a holiday! Ain't it?
None the less, the fellows showed up at 8 AM, and thank goodness at least Ann was already up. I did get dressed and out there in about ten minutes. Boys are fast dressers.

Ever wonder why ferries tip over? Because they're so dang top heavy! Here's an example: This is the new Alaska ferry, at the end of the street. They (the builders) say, it's OK - the heavy engines, etc, are in the bottom of the hull. And, that only 'light' stuff, like cars and people, will go 'upstairs'. Right. Without going into various ferry Catastrophes, sometimes the weight (i.e. people) shifts suddenly to one side - Oh look! A whale! Can you say, capsize?
Oh, don't mind me. . . I'm sure they have it ALL figured out. However, Google the words 'ferry' and 'capsize' for details.

Jan 15, 2006 Sun

Late additions -

Ann and Laura on the way to catch the shuttle - early this morning, a phone camera shot, in the Saab. We beat the shuttle, o' course. I.e., we were early, had time for a coffee.

Now - one must think about this picture - below

Taken by Robert Smock with an old timey Polaroid camera. And then mailed 2500 miles. The shot is off his rear balcony, and shows the Christmas snow coming down. Dad was moved by this view, and took the time to capture it, and send it. We are so very happy to post it. Fine work!

Dad's annotation on the rear of the photo

By the water on Sunday -

Whoa! TWO sunny days in a row! Winter must be over. At least, the grey days.

So, you know what we did. This was yesterday, Saturday.

Breaking in the new leathers - it was low forties, the chilliest Ann has ever ridden. Only her chin was cold. This was a 'test' ride, around town. With the addition of a face mask, we might be good for hiway cruising, even while temps remain below fifty.

Brett sent these pictures of my grandson, Hogan, rolling dough and baking. I thought there was something familiar about them? Looking through an old scrap book put together by my Gram - I found these. That would be yours truly, rolling and baking about 57 years ago.

Looks like we're moving. We're not. Just moving stuff around during the construction. The packing feels the same.

We drove Dick and Laura to the shuttle today. They're off to India!

It was forty degrees at 9 AM. Looking at Ann you'd think it was zero!

Jan 13, 2006 Fri

Friday the thirteenth!

So far, so good. A grey and damp, though mild - day. Ann and I worked around the house - getting rooms packed up for additional remodeling, coming soon. This computer will be coming out - !

Then what?!

Jan 11, 2006 Wed

Hard to believe that this will soon be an upstairs bedroom. But it will. Here's a problem - we are taking so many pictures (because of being very pleased that this is finally happening) that now we're thinking, perhaps we ought to resurrect the 'house page'? Show all the daily progress on that separate page? Thereby keeping the blog, what, bloggier? Dang. You know, less phloggy? (Photo blog = phlog, like web log = blog).

The City delivered us a dumpster today - and a four inch riser for the water meter. The fact that this all happened the day after we asked for it, makes us want to hug Niomi, who works for the City.

View down through where the stairs will come up! Seen below is the bedroom door, and my dresser, through plastic sheeting.

View up, to where the stairs will go.

Fellows at work. Adding the new wall, that will support the stairs.

Ann and Cassady checking out the day's progress. The real challenge is keeping the cats out of the work area. They SO want to go in the attic. We had the same problem keeping them form exploring under the house, when the floor was open.

John cutting risers in the dark, in the rain, using a laser guided saw. See the thin red line? Whoa!

John and Tom, doing the Men at Work thing. Taken from my office looking into our bedroom. Stairway taking shape.

Tizzy trying the new stairs

Yes, it was pleasant for a spell, today. Yes, I did ride.

Sleeping area, for comparison with yesterday - shows progress.

Jan 10, 2006 Tue

Whoa! Work commences on the upstairs. To refresh: This was an new idea, about a year ago? It seems like it, anyway. At that time we discovered that it would require having the house set on a proper foundation (rather than the existing 'post and beam') to allow the addition of any rooms upstairs. That took months to accomplish. Rotted wood was discovered and had to be replaced, the heating system had to be dismantled and reassembled. Plumbing work, electrical/phone/cable work - you get the idea.

Finally, all that was done. Now - we're going up!

Cat investigating the work. Hole cut thru wall between bedroom and front room, and into ceiling. This is for the stairway up to the attic. The plastic 'walls' kept the clean up/dust to a minimum.

This is the plan for the downstairs.

This is how we hope the upstairs will get done.

This is how we'll sleep tonight, and for awhile.

Hey! It's Hogan Garrison Smock, Brett and Amy's Hogan - doing some baking.

Jacob Handley Smock - my youngest, with friend

Jan 07, 2006 Sat

Whoa! Managing to stay busy, somehow. Too busy to have posted these xmas pix that Ann took.

Here's Eric showing Fae some pictures on his new camera, while I'm doing my famous 'three candle' trick in the background. Nobody appreciates magic anymore. . .

Cassady attempts to 'saw' out a fiddle tune. The violin is not Cass' instrument of 'choice'.

Fae getting ready to serve up her famous New York cheesecake.

Heidi can actually play the electronic (or any) violin.

Heidi serves up some cheesecake of her own. . .

Ann and I Christmas morning, at Dick's. Of course, there are additional Christmas pix on the December Blog. (link at top of this page.)

Eric and I taking pictures. Some folks just have to over do everything. . .

Hey! Our driveway is finally in service!

Jan 04, 2006 Wed

Yay! Sunshine. It's been pretty mild, but cloudy, occasional showers.

We're doing wash in the 'new' laundry/furnace room, finally.

Sue in Egypt! Thanks to Adam, photo by John

Talia and Devin with holiday gifts. Yes! Another Smock guitar player! You go, Devin!

Brother Adam, Anne (of the east),Talia and Devin

Holy cow, I mean camel - it's John and Caroline and friend!

Jan 02, 2006 Mon

Happy new year! May you enjoy the very best of life's pleasures in 2006. And try to grin through the rest.

Off and running in the New Year. Many thanks to all for making 2005 such a pleasure and success.

This was a good day to loaf. Ann was home, too. We couldn't do much, because the tile glue is still setting up, in the back room. Oh, dang.

The electric guys should be coming tomorrow to wire up the new appliances. We're getting serious about starting on the upstairs. This will be big fun!

This might be a 'before' shot of the living area, once things take off.