Sunday, January 9, 2022

PBA Tour, here we come!

About once a year Barb and I get out bowling. Usually with one of the kids and grandkids but this week we went bowling with Kevin and Cheryl to show them our mad bowling skills. It is an amazing event to witness but more on that later...

Also, about once a year Barb and I go to the doctor. This week we both had appointments. We had scheduled them a month or so ago so they would be right after the first of the year. Having such a high deductible, if we were going to have anything done, we wanted it in the new year. My appointment went great. The doctor used phrases like; an amazing specimen, picture of health.... and the like. He even asked if I ever considered cooking shirtless in the kitchen! Funny you should mention that I replied....

Barb's appointment went well as well, but she has a few follow up appointments. A CAT scan next week and an appointment with a psychiatrist the week after....I knew there was something wacky going on up there!  (Okay, just kidding about the psychiatrist appointment).  

We both got our meds renewed. We sadly did not make it down to Mexico this year to get our yearly supply. So....if any of our snowbird friends are headed down that way, let us know and maybe you could pick us up a few things? And no Dino, they are not the little blue pills!

The weather this week forced more indoor work. We were not Minnesota or Wisconsin cold, but we were in the double digits below 0 a night or two. We had a fire going for several days straight keeping the house warm. 

Aa far as our progress this week, we still have a little bit of trim to do. Mainly upstairs. We did get the laundry room painted. That is the last room to get painted. Check that off the list!

We also started a couple of new projects. The first is Barb sanding and refinishing a chest that she had bought at a garage sale last summer. She completed that project in about 3 hours. 

Then Kevin came over to help get us started on tiling the dog wash. We "think" we can handle the project ourselves, but the most important thing is that you start off level and straight, so we asked Kevin to set the first row. 

Then I started on the built-in dresser in the bedroom.  The area started out like this.....

So far, I just have the frame built. I measured and furred out some boards where the outside drawer runners will go and built the center divider section where the inside drawer runners will go. Having never built a dresser before I have used my "Phone a Friend" lifeline a couple times calling Jim Belisle, cabinet builder extraordinaire, asking him a few questions along the way. 


Next up will be the material for the drawers and the face We have the material for the face but needed to run to Rapid for the drawer material. 

While I was working on that, Barb came in with a new friend. She was walking by the living room window and saw this little Nuthatch laying on the concrete. Since it was -12F she knew it would not last long laying there.  
As she was showing it to me, it started to perk up, lifting its head and looking around. Barb made a little bed for it out of a dog blanket and set it back outside. 15 minutes later it was gone. 

While in Rapid the next day picking up dresser material, we stopped by our favorite sushi place and used the gift card Dan and Bonnie gave us!

Thanks Dan and Bonnie!

Although we cannot get much further from the ocean, this place is delicious and fresh sushi!

The dogs have don't like the cold weather, but they like us being inside with them all the time. Zoey has a new sweater to keep her warm indoors and a new coat for her outdoor adventures....

      

Dakota keeps warm pretty much anywhere but has no objections when I invite her up on the couch or the bed for a little snuggle time!



With all that work we were due for a little fun! We skipped our Wednesday burger night and opted for a bowling night in Hot Springs. We bowled 3 games and made the most of it. We turned it into a drinking game where the loser had to buy a round of shots for the low score in the 5th frame and the end of the game. Only in Hot Springs will you find a bowling alley with an elk mount over the lane!

Cheryl showing off her mad bowling skills

Out of the 3 games, Barb is the only one who did not have to buy a round. Kevin was having a great time which is evidenced by this short clip!

In fact, he was having so much fun that he actually dropped the ball on one of his backswings! I wished I would have been recording that throw, we were laughing so hard we all had tears rolling down our faces!

Here is a picture of Barb showing off her form. But that is not the most important thing in this picture....


The most important thing in this picture is the score board above Barb. Of the three games we played this is the only picture of the score I am going to show.  Being the creator of the blog has its advantages!  
As the games (and shots) progressed, some of us got better and better while others deteriorated. At times we were laughing so hard there were multiple gutter balls. To be fair, I have to admit that Kevin and I did not partake in the shots the last two games as we were the designated drivers, so Barb and Cheryl took the brunt of the punishment!

Good times were had by all but now it is back to work. The temps this week are climbing into the 40's and even topping 50! Time to get back outside and do some work out there!

24 comments:

  1. CRAMP!!!!! Just looking at a picture of Sushi makes my hands cramp up. I noticed that you never called me for "phone-a-friend"? Good! Because as far as you are concerned, I have no marketable skills, except supervising. And drinking your beer. So lets keep it that way.

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    1. You sir, are my phone a friend on several totally different subjects!

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  2. Where to start! First hope Barb is fine and it's just precautionary. One of you might need a psychiatrist but not Barb. Just sayin!

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    1. Ouch! Yes, it is just precautionary. Trying to rule out reasons for her headaches.

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  3. Sorry guys not going to Mexico this time so can’t be your dealer. 🤣 Barb has fine form on that bowling shot but has a little air on that ball.
    Cheers!

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    1. I noticed the air under that ball as well! If any other of our "Mule" friends down there cross the border, let us know and I will hit them up!

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  4. Cabinetmaker extraordinaire …. I’m going to get a bigger head! 47 Brand already stopped making my 3XL caps! Dang…

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    1. Do they make 4 or 5XL? I am sure I will be calling again before the end of this project!

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  5. Pretty darn nice here in S. Arizona. Not planning on crossing into Mexico though.

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    1. It certainly is! We sure are missing the Arizona and Florida this winter. It looks like we will be heading to your home state in a few weeks!

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  6. Not that I want to expand your ego, but you do some amazing work with wood and rock. I'm always in awe of anyone who can make a cabinet look gorgeous or build a cabinet into the wall. Great job!! Wish I had read your blog one day earlier ... I could have been your mule. Good luck on Barb's headaches. Mine were finally attributed to high blood pressure that really wasn't high at all. New meds, no headaches. Stay warm!!

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    1. We'll see if that still hold true once the dresser is done. Let's just hope the drawers open and close! Barb's appointment is this morning so we should have answers soon.

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  7. Your place is looking great, and Barb did an amazing job on that garage sale find. Stay warm, and Zoey is too cute in her outfits. BTW ... Al and son got one elk down for the season.

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    1. You guys look plenty warm down there! Hoping to get an elk tag this fall so I can get out myself!

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  8. Great blog. Loved getting a peek at the projects, pups and public outings.

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    1. There seems to be no end to the projects, but we enjoy doing them!

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  9. I think, or at least it looks like that we have the same color of paint in our laundry room as you do. Interesting project for the built-in cabinet. Do post some pics of the drawers when you make them. Are you using a nailer for them? The dog photos are super cute!

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    1. I am going to try and make the face out of old fence boards but we will see how that goes. The drawers themselves are going to be made out of birch. I will do updates as it progresses.

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  10. Good to see you getting away for some fun. Sounds like the perfect night to let it all out! Beautifully refinished chest, Barb! Wow! Building your own dresser. Awesome! Love Zoey's winter coat. Dakota looks so cute snuggling on the sofa.

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    1. Dakota does enjoy her snuggle time. The chest is made out of cherry or maple and was stained a dark red, now it is just natural as she simply varnished it. It now fits much better into our colors.

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  11. I just have to ask, How did you go 0-3 in the second frame. I suspect sabotage...

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    1. Good observation but that was my own doing. I was determined to follow up my strike with another and overdid it resulting in a gutter ball!

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  12. You two just never stop, do you think that you will ever run out of projects?

    Zoey looks so cold in both those shots. The best part of your bowling are all the memories of fun times with friends.

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    1. We have plenty of work to keep us busy through 2022, we'll worry about what to do next after that!

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