2016 COTTAGE NOTES:
I put off writing my 2016 Cottage Notes (and eventually forgot) because I got de-motivated by the disappearance of a few items I left up there to use every year. They weren't important, but replacing them from LA won't be easy. Anyway, here's what got done last year:
1. Porch Box Cleanout and Cap: While BBQing 7 or 8 years ago, I noticed that a squirrel was carrying nest materials to the area behind the green boards over the back porch, where the hydro meter is. That's why there was firewood up on top of the boards for years - to keep critters out. Here's how it looked when the bottom board came off, thanks to the new squaredrive screwdrivers:
The mess was cleaned out, and a new cap for the top of the space behind the boards was made and installed. (The cap could use a touch-up where the hammer hit it, by the next person to use white paint.)
2. Sanding & Staining the Porches: With Toni's borrowed belt sander, I got the front porch and part of the back porch ready for refinishing. All the horizontal surfaces of the front porch were done, along with the steps and handrails of the back porch. Dad stained the front porch, I did the back porch. The pictures are from before staining. They probably wouldn't suffer from another coat of if one felt inclined...
The sawhorse also got new stain last year.3. Bulletin Board De-Uglification: The old chunk of styrofoam got replaced with two corkboards. It looks quite a bit better. All the dump info is in the folder at the bottom left. The white paper next to the fire extinguisher is a consolidated phone number list, with email addresses on the back. Don't hesitate to add to it. The open area at the top would be a good spot for some braggy fish photos.
4. Middle Bedroom Shelf and Hooks: There's a new shelf in the mid BR along the wall shared with the kitchen BR. Toni's belt sander came in handy for this project too. It's not perfectly straight or level because the boards that support it aren't either. Close enough. There's also some fancy new double hooks along that wall. The old wire hooks were moved to the wall that's behind the door when it's open.
5. Main Shed Light: The power was run from one of the plugs in the CQ. Don't pull too hard on the on/off string. It's kind of a Rube Goldberg configuration to make it easy to find in the dark. The lighting is better than it looks in the picture. I put the fixture up in the corner so that the bulb is less likely to get broken.
6. Kitchen Appliances: The old chrome tea kettle and the elder toaster have been fixed. There was a Melita brand tea kettle that wasn't fixable because of a cheapo auto-shutoff sensor that went berserk. It would only turn on for about 15 seconds at a time, then shut off.
This is the third time I've fixed the plug on the chrome teakettle. It'll help in the future if the orange plug gets pulled when unplugging it, not the cord. Also, try not let a wet wire hang straight down after using it. Water will run down the cord, get into the plug, and oxidize the connection between the wire and the plug.
The toaster needed a little tweeking. The electrical contacts that turn on the heat when the toast goes down just needed to be bent a little. The left two (of four) slots don't always stay down on the first push. Keep trying, gently. We left the new toaster that Dunc & Elaine bought on a shelf over the fridge.
7. Living Room Radio: I used the new can of contact cleaner to get the parts behind the knobs working smoothly. It doesn't make crackly noises when adjusting the tuning or volume anymore. If there's improvement in the radio's ability to tune in weak stations, it's marginal. It was made in China in 1988, so it was probably never all that precise. It turns out I have the same brand of radio/cassette thing, made in 1989. The wood box looks different, but the guts are the same.
8. Board Games: I thought it would be nice to get the board games out of the orange hutch and use some of the new space under the middle BR bed, freeing up the hutch to hold some of the front porch clutter. I heard later about a note I never saw about keeping a specific game or two, or something. None of them were tossed. If they're back in the hutch, that's cool. Please save the banana box they were in. I can use it for something else.
Here's the easiest way to take the bridge up (or put it in) while keeping one's feet dry:
Here's last year's obligatory flag pictures:
North Korea & Cuba. Not great countries, but good lookin' flags.
Liberia.
Turkey Time. The breasts were cooked separately. I may take a shot at fixing the grates on that old BBQ this year. It needs a sturdy new wire to support the upper rack. That's a rock holding it up on the right side of the bottom picture.
Turkey Time. The breasts were cooked separately. I may take a shot at fixing the grates on that old BBQ this year. It needs a sturdy new wire to support the upper rack. That's a rock holding it up on the right side of the bottom picture.
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| Clean-Out-the-Fridge Night @ Keywaybeek |
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| Heading Across the Mackinac Bridge |
2017 PROJECTS:
I'm officially low on ideas for new improvements. Except for an overhead light in the middle bedroom, the cottage seems to be wired about as much as it needs. I originally brought about 110 feet of the white 14 gauge AC wire 4 or 5 years ago. It's down to 5 feet or so. I can bring more as needed, since I bought way too much of it for a home project about 15 years ago.
The wiring for an overhead MBR light could get ugly if it needs a switch by the door, because the nearest plug in the room is on a perpendicular wall. Wires would need to run over the door, and then up to the light. If I get a light with a hanging pull-chain (and not put in a wall switch) the wiring can be simpler and all run along the same wall.
The other main idea for this summer is to build a free-standing thing next to the back porch, near the chimney, but not attached to the cottage or porch. A rack or shelf would be the best way to describe it. Most of it would be to get the water jugs off of the back porch. It would have some extra room to store big coolers and other stuff that can get rained on, but would stay cleaner up off the ground. It could also include some cubbyholes for temporary storage of lifejackets, frequently used boat items and further outdoor whatnot. I don't have a particular design or material in mind, so suggestions are welcome.
I ran out of time last summer to cover up the wiring for the main shed light on the CQ side of the wall. The wire up by the ceiling can be covered by staining and nailing in existing wood scraps from the biffy shed. The area between the studs where it goes through the wall into the main shed needs something about 12-14" across to cover the wire. Given that it's the Captain's Quarters, here's a 12"x18" $5 possibility I saw on eBay:
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| Yarrrrrgh! Get yer ass outta bed, Matey! |
The overhead fan's blades look like they're crooked, which makes the fan wobble. It's not the blades themselves, but the brackets that connect the blades to the motor that are bent. I found a set of 5 possibly shorter blades (with brackets) in my "barn" that may fit the existing motor. If I take them apart, they should fit in my bags OK. They aren't heavy at all. Shorter blades would make it less likely for us get whacked while going up and down the ladder, which is probably what bent the brackets in the first place. It's happened to me 4 or 5 times. D'oh! If they don't fit, I'll try to bend the old ones back into alignment.
The old clothes hanging rod in the CQ might get an update. Dad said he saved something for this purpose that presumably won't droop as much as the current one. I won't know if it will work until I get a look at it.
I've got a new movement for the kitchen clock. They're almost giving them away on eBay.
If it hasn't been done already, there should be an extra copy of the shed lock key somewhere at the cottage, just in case. A First Aid kit upgrade wouldn't be a bad idea either.
Speaking of bad ideas, I heard about a pulley system to get the new chair up to the attic. I checked it out, and it doesn't seem like there's any place to anchor it that wouldn't break the board that it's attached to, or rip the screws out of the old wood. Toni agrees. That chair is just too heavy to lift as dead weight. Even if it gets built, I wouldn't feel comfortable using it. My only preference in the chair vs. couch debate is to not have to move furniture every year.
Speaking of bad ideas, I heard about a pulley system to get the new chair up to the attic. I checked it out, and it doesn't seem like there's any place to anchor it that wouldn't break the board that it's attached to, or rip the screws out of the old wood. Toni agrees. That chair is just too heavy to lift as dead weight. Even if it gets built, I wouldn't feel comfortable using it. My only preference in the chair vs. couch debate is to not have to move furniture every year.
Regarding project suggestions, please keep in mind that I'm gradually joining the "Old & Creaky Club". I replaced about 70 feet of a wood fence along my backyard this spring. My knees objected loudly and often, but it was my back that had the final say as to when it was quitting time each day. Hauling and mixing concrete for the posts was the worst part. The fence came out looking great, but I was still sore for about a week after it was done.
MISCELLANEOUS:
Dad was surprised last year when his cell phone didn't work once we got into Canada. It turns out that the Canadian phone companies stopped using certain frequencies in May 2016. I got him an old Motorola flip phone for his birthday, which should work up there once there's a SIM card in it. Not having a cell phone myself, researching which phone to get was a confusing alphabet soup of acronyms and techno-jargon. A "GSM Quad-Band Worldwide Device" is what to look for, apparently. Here's an article that can 'splain it better than I can, or want to: Mobile Phones in Canada.
The first person to use the jukebox computer every year may have difficulties with the mouse, or general weird behaviour (by the computer, not the user). The problem is that the computer's battery, although it still works, can't keep enough juice flowing over the winter to preserve the settings. All that has to be reset is the date.
To do that, click on the blue apple in the upper left of the screen, then select "System Preferences" from the menu. Use the trackpad if the mouse isn't working. A new window will appear. Click on "Date & Time". The window will change to the date and time options. Set it for anything 2003 or after. Time doesn't matter. The laptop was made in 2001 or 2002. I have no idea why, but it reverts to 1969 or 1970 when the power dies, which causes the odd behaviour.
I may have a 1000+ tune update for the jukebox. Any Oingo Boingo, Mark Knopfler or Bob Dylan fans? It depends on whether I can fix a hard drive that broke down. I bought what I think is the right part to fix it, but haven't yet mustered up the gumption to do the itty-bitty soldering required.
The Tigers are mostly terrible now, and it's not easy to care. Here's something I wrote a while back about José Valverde, adapted for a recent Tiger closer who's just as awful. (It's meant to be read in a deep voice as one of the old Direct TV ads that took logical progressions of events to illogical extremes.):
When you watch F-Rod Pitch, you yell at your TV.
When you yell at your TV, the neighbors think you're crazy.
When neighbors think you're crazy, their kids don't come by on Halloween.
When kids don't show for Halloween, there's a lot of leftover candy.
When there's leftover candy, you end up with a big fat butt.
Don't get a big fat butt.
Don't watch F-Rod pitch.
Here's Herb & Dorothy's marriage license from 1932:
Here's Herb & Dorothy's marriage license from 1932:
Dad and I haven't nailed down any dates yet. Steve might come this year I hear, which might mean we'd move our stay toward the middle of August.
That's about it. Any questions, comments, suggestions or obfuscations can go in the comments below or to my email. Or you could call, keeping in mind my summer vampire hours are usually in effect. ¥éémøütwé$t@¥åhøø,çøm or ßlß-4Øl-47lß.
-¥eem
