I'm keeping Rich BUSY!!

This is a three day weekend for Rich, with Monday being Martin Luther King Day.  That means the stock market is closed, so it's important that I find things to keep him busy!  

On Friday we made a trip to the Decor Store to check on what kind of cornices they had that might work on our sliders.  We actually brought one home with us to see if the size was right......but unfortunately it was NOT.  What they sell is only about 6-7 inches wide which on those sliders with the large moulding - just did nothing to improve the look.  SO................. 

 Below is a picture of the three sliders in our sun room; the two that face the water in the back and one that faces our neighbor.  Since, given the way the addition was built on the house does not allow us to do vertical sliders, we'll do the tinted windows with the cornice topper.  The cornice in the top left of the picture is similar to what I am having Rich build.  It will be somewhere between 11 and 15 inches ( a little wider board) and the color will be a much lighter blend of black/brown.  The picture on the top right shows a V shaped design and we will do that in a black or brown between the two windows in the back and probably in the middle of the other slider.  I know - hard to picture - but I can see it perfectly!!!

The guy is coming on Wednesday, this week to tint the windows (as long as the price is right!) and then Rich can begin to build the cornice.  The shades on the screens that face the neighbors should also be installed one day this week.  So.........in the meantime.........

On Friday Rich took a trip in to town to buy some minnows for fishing. ( I mean - the guys needs to have a little fun before I give him a dozen projects... Right)?   

 He did so a little fishing off the dock on Friday afternoon, but NO luck.  He went out again on Saturday afternoon and  caught a nice bass about 15 inches. 

That evening we met up with Nick and Tonyia at the Olive Garden for dinner. These two are keeping very very busy with their new home too - so it's been since New Year's day that we've seen them.  Everyone enjoyed their meal......except ME.  My past Primavera was terrible.  It was so smothered in sauce and the veggies were very  very mushy.  I filled up on bread sticks and salad, and sent most of the meal back.  Everyone else was very satisfied and enjoyed their meal!

After dinner we made a trip to Lowes to pick up some lumber.  Yes - one more project for Rich while we wait to get the windows done.  And the project was started on Sunday........this is a side table that will replace the plastic table (those of you who are RV'ers - will recognize the little table I am currently using!!) that now sits between my two wicker/rattan rockers in the sun room.  As you can see from the picture below all the wood is cut an ready to be assembles.  The finish on this end stand will be the same as the cornice that we put over the sliders!  Rich is doing a great job!

Still on the to-do list for this month is to replace some boards out on the boathouse and get that painted the same color as the deck.   And to either build a railing or pergola on the back deck.....And, Cindy - the lady who does our lawn is coming in two weeks an pulling my Indian Hawthorn from the front yard and replacing it with some new plants.  I'm not good at names, but there will be five bushes that are  a two tone green, and four crotons.  At some point we will also replace the azalea bushes in back - they just don't seem to be doing well at all.    AND........... we are also seriously talking about widening the driveway.  This way, we can remove the boat trailer that is currently housed in the second garage bay!   Lots to do........it's exciting!   Hope we can get most of this done before we leave for NY in June!