This summer may be a good opportunity to coordinate some donations of our extra stuff to the Keywaybeek cause. The following are just some ideas of things you guys may have laying around at home that could be useful up at the cottage:
1. Ice cube trays. There are only a few up there now, which is OK for 1, 2, or 3 people at a time. I'd be nice to have more for larger groups, overlaps & coolers. The freezer has plenty of room. UPDATE: Graham has 4 or 5 to spare.
2. Bathrobes. I took one up there last year, and it's great when getting out of the lake, especially when it's windy or buggy. Pre-dawn Biffy runs would also be a good use. One per bedroom would be perfect.
3. Pillows. Those thin foam pillows are awful, or am I the only one who's ever woke up with a sore neck at Keywaybeek? If I know there are some pillows on the way, I'll bring some of my extra pillowcases. (WARNING: They may be ugly.) Please, no "throw pillows". Those are useless regardless of their location.
4. Hair Dryer (hand-held only). Along with electric toothbrushes, these seem to get left behind up there in the rush to get on the road. It'd be nice not to have to bring one. It could hang on a hook or in a small basket under the kitchen mirror. If nobody has an extra, I'm sure I could land a good one for no more than $15 on eBay. (Disclosure: It's usually so dry here in LA, I don't need or own a hair dryer.) UPDATE: A well-reviewed hair dryer is on its way to Dad's house. It was $12.
5. Oil- Based Paint. The dresser in the middle bedroom could use painting, and there's always some general spiffing afoot. The Home Hardware in Sundridge can handle any tinting we might need. Don't transport paint thinner, it's too flammable & cheap. I'm not sure about varnish & stains, but they should be welcome contributions. Latex paint wouldn't be useful at all.
6. Tools. Please, anything you can spare that isn't already up there. Dad's tool collection is terrible, and I try to avoid borrowing Toni's. We're OK on hammers. A small toolbox or toolbag would also be good. I've got a tiny toolbox I could bring, but I'm not sure it will fit into my bag. If anybody has an old outdoor extension cord with damaged ends, I could fix it and put it to good use up there. Please see the "Wish List" in my previous post.
7. Screws, hinges, bolts, nuts, washers, etc. Emptying the bottom of a junk drawer may potentially save a trip to the hardware store. Lumber isn't something that's really necessary to bring. It tends to be pretty cheap in Canada, and takes up a lot of storage space when it isn't used right away. (The exception would be boards and plywood scraps suitable for shelves in the toolsheds, a this-year project.)
8. Unwanted Camping Gear. I've already left a tent, sleeping bag & some other camping stuff there for general use (Please put 'em back dry & cleanish, where you found 'em). There's plenty of room at the edges of the attic for more. Small tarps, ground pads and large backpacks would be great, as would more tents and old sleeping bags with working zippers (UPDATE: Or not. I recently taught myself how to fix most zipper problems.) No propane stoves or lanterns in the attic please, and no propane canister storage in the cottage! I built the flammables shed for that stuff -- including the above mentioned oil-based paint.
I'm sure I've left some pretty obvious stuff off of this list. These are just suggestions. I've got a small pile of stuff that I might bring up there, including a caulk-gun, a manual ice cream maker and some specialty Tupperware, but I won't know what's going until I pack.
My project plan for this year is mostly electrical; a four-way 15 Amp GFCI plug in the kitchen next to the fridge, and an overhead light in the indoor porch. I'll also work on organizing the sheds, and maybe the attic. I might even get all John Henry and bust off the top of that big driveway rock. I'll maybe also see if this thing (see picture) can be refurbished -- it's a push-style carpet sweeper that may be as old as the cottage. It's more dust than rust in the picture. UPDATE: I got it shined up and working, but it's way better on shaggier carpets like mine, than it is on short carpets like up at the cottage. I think it's a keeper.
I've been doing electrical work @ Keywaybeek for the last few years because it's pretty easy and requires the fewest tools, but I'm almost out of ideas for more lights & fans & stuff. What's next? A fake cannon next to the flagpole? A sundial?
I didn't put most of my pictures from last year on here because my main computer was acting up, and finally sort of went into a coma -- not dead, but not worth fixing. It was a Mac Pro that was $2300 in 2003. I replaced it in May with a 2008 version of the same computer for $275, including shipping. (Thanx, eBay!) I figure I'll do last year's & this year's pictures at the same time once I get back home.
The jukebox library will exceed 35,400 tunes once I load 'em up.
I didn't put most of my pictures from last year on here because my main computer was acting up, and finally sort of went into a coma -- not dead, but not worth fixing. It was a Mac Pro that was $2300 in 2003. I replaced it in May with a 2008 version of the same computer for $275, including shipping. (Thanx, eBay!) I figure I'll do last year's & this year's pictures at the same time once I get back home.
The jukebox library will exceed 35,400 tunes once I load 'em up.
-¥eem
PS: I've opened up the Comments on this blog, so anyone can add to it by clicking the "Comments" link below. Before, commenters had to first log into a GMail account. If you want to write a new post, that's still the case. Hopefully, the internet a-holes will leave it alone.
If that doesn't work, I can always be emailed at yeemøutwest@yahøø - døt - cøm. I don't dare put my real phone number on here - ask Dad if you don't have it.
Don't try to contact me on Facebook. I gave up on it a while back, but haven't figured out how to get rid of it. UPDATE: I'm out! Almost all I ever saw on Facebook was an increasing number of ads, and massive oversharing from a few people I barely remember from high school.
PS: I've opened up the Comments on this blog, so anyone can add to it by clicking the "Comments" link below. Before, commenters had to first log into a GMail account. If you want to write a new post, that's still the case. Hopefully, the internet a-holes will leave it alone.
If that doesn't work, I can always be emailed at yeemøutwest@yahøø - døt - cøm. I don't dare put my real phone number on here - ask Dad if you don't have it.
Don't try to contact me on Facebook. I gave up on it a while back, but haven't figured out how to get rid of it. UPDATE: I'm out! Almost all I ever saw on Facebook was an increasing number of ads, and massive oversharing from a few people I barely remember from high school.
