Phase 1 - Construction

[2001 Q1] [2001 Q2] [2001 Q3]

Phase 2 - Homemaking schedule

• Security level - YELLOW
  Fair confidence of dealing with emergencies; can deter or repel opportunistic criminal intrusion. Some security issues remain.
• Capabilities
  • Seating capacity - 2 IKEA rockers and footstools, 2 swivel chairs, 4 folding chairs, 4 dining chairs
  • Dining capacity - 4-6
  • Kitchen extras - microwave; toaster oven; coffee maker; rice cooker; both metal and non-metal tools
  • Bathrooms: 2.5
  • Overnight guests
    • South Guest 2P/2B
    • North Guest 0
    • Conference/Reception 0
  • Multimedia - VHS, DVD, CD, digital cable
  • Computer - Internet access at 26400 baud; 8.5x11 printing; scan 35mm slides and negatives, prints up to 5x7; 2 USB ports free
  • Telephony - answering machine; speakerphone in office; phone jacks available throughout
  • Woodworking - half of garage (and possibly in basement once additional electric outlets and lighting installed); cordless 14.4V drill; circular saw; router
  • Photographic darkroom - TBD (powder room seems ideal)
  • Exercise room - TBD (almost likely to be in basement)
• Decorating ideas
  • Kitchen - black, brushed stainless steel and mid-toned woods dominate; add halogen underlights and/or 5000K fluorescent indirect lighting to cabinets
  • Reception/conference - track lighting to highlight prints and paintings, like a museum; reception might double as a reading room
  • Coat hooks and/or coat rack in foyer AND laundry room
  • Clocks
  • Potted greens, perhaps a floral arrangement for dinner table
• 30-day (major) problem list
  • AC compressor does not turn on (suspect wiring problem)
  • 3 out of 8 phone jacks wired incorrectly - I rewired 2 of them to get dialtone, but phone jack in library still inoperative
  • Resolved 2002.02.25

Virtual tours

Exterior

Kitchen

Foyer and half walls

Visitors' highlights

• 2001.09.28 - Mom and Rich
  They came over the first night, with pizza and other dinner items. Rich also brought over the 19-inch TV in the basement - no bed, no chairs, no tables, no lamps, but hey, first things first! (grin)
  
  
• 2001.10.21 - Terri
  Apart from Mom and Rich, I am delighted Terri is my first real visitor. She got the grand tour, inside and out, including a quick hike down to the creek - actually was my first time down to the creek too.
  
  
• 2001.10.24 - Aunt Ofelia
  Mom and Aunt Ofelia stopped by during my lunch hour; we had a quick lunch.
  
  
• 2001.10.26 - Joy
  Rich and Joy were undecided on what to do or where to go for dinner so they stopped by so Joy could get a look-see before I left for Candlelight's Friday night party. She was shocked - SHOCKED - on how empty my cupboards were, completely devoid of food, and thought my pantry had nothing but junk food! (In my defense the pantry had nonperishable pre-packaged food, only some of which could be classified as junk food.)
  
  
• 2001.11.22 - Uncle Luis, Aunt Cress; Mike and Holly with Mia; Ren and Arlene; Adelyn
  After Thanksgiving lunch at Uncle Luis and Aunt Cress, we all came over to visit. To date, the biggest group of visitors.
  
  
• 2001.12.19 - Mrs Mazz
  I bought a new TV for Mom and Rich for Christmas; Mrs Mazz helped me bring it home. After suffering from a fall a couple of days earlier, she was unable to go up and down stairs, so she only got to see the ground floor. But she did get to see some visiting squirrels!
  
  
• 2002.09.13 - Uncle Ric, Aunt Ofelia, Rose
  They stayed overnight, my first official overnight guests! (We were all going to Vivian and Gordon's wedding the next day.) Uncle Ric and Aunt Ofelia were in my room, Rose in South Guest and, since the library STILL isn't one yet, I used an air mattress in there. Rose showed me how to use the dishwasher, the first time it's been used to wash dishes. (It takes over an hour and is noisy - how is an hour's worth of hot water supposed to be more energy and water efficient than my doing it by hand??)
  
  
• 2002.12.24 - Lea
  Joy and Lea stopped by in the morning on their way home to Maryland.
  
  
• 2002.12.24 - Uncle Bert, Aunt Cen; Ron, Amy and Jasmine; Adelyn
  Mom and Rich, and Uncle Luis and Aunt Cress, also came over Christmas Eve - Mom had "volunteered" my house for a family get-together for dinner (GRIN). She and Rich did the bulk of the cooking. First use of Reception/Conference: a motley collection of temporary chairs and a coffee table were good enough for casual conversation.
  
  

Squirrels

• Linebacker
  At first the squirrels didn't pick up on the idea that the peanuts and nuts on the back steps were for them - the nuts in particular would stay there for a week. Eventually when I started cracking a few nuts they got the idea. Thanksgiving day, 2001.11.22, I finally had time during the day to see more than one at a time. Linebacker is a young but beefy guy who intimidates and chases away any other squirrel who dares eats "his" nuts!

  

  
  
  
• Nalya
  I haven't noticed any females coming to visit until Saturday, 2001.12.15. She had two notches in her ear, already had her winter coat on, and is a cutie! At first I was going to name her Tiffany, but changed my mind when I continued to watch her eating peanuts.
  
  I put the nuts and peanuts on the metal ledge of the sliding door, which is at the top of the rear stairs. She was eating peanuts when another squirrel started approaching the stairs, curiously, wondering what she was eating, peeking up towards her as if thinking, "Hey what's up there?" She started growling yet held her ground and kept eating - temporarily scaring off the visiting squirrel: "OK, it's cool, my bad," quickly backing away. She kept doing this with other squirrels, as if sitting on top of Pride Rock, at one point holding off three other squirrels.
  
  Eventually one guy finally got the nerve to bum rush her off Pride Rock and claim the nuts, while she was now at the foot of the stairs looking up, slightly upset and disappointed at her demotion. But she proved her point, she was no Tiffany.